Memory is an Uncharted Sea
by Chakat StarDust
Summary: His memories span only eight years, though he knows he's seen at least ten more. An escaped slave, he settles down in a small coastal town in Egypt and becomes friends with one of the local merfolk, finding happiness in his freedom. But when his past catches up to him can he weather the changes and dangers it brings?
1. Chapter 1

Star: Coming back to the Yu-Gi-Oh fandom after a long hiatus, this should be interesting. All I have to say is I own nothing but the plot and any minor OCs that might pop up, so let's get on to the story.

The young man walked through the streets of the small coastal city with nothing but the clothes on his back, a small purse of money and a dagger strapped to his belt. His steps were confident, purposeful and he walked with his head held high. No one would have been able to guess that he was a former slave.

He walked up to the gates of the house of the mayor and halted at the guard's approach. "State your business." The burly man said gruffly.

"I wish to speak with the mayor. I've heard that he helps those in need."

"That he does, but he will judge whether you need help for himself." The guard said. The young man nodded his head and followed after the guard. As far as noblemen's houses, the mayor's was fairly modest. The mayor himself turned out to be a pudgy, jolly-looking man with salt-and-pepper hair, chasing around a three year old.

"My lord, you have a caller." The guard said.

"Away with you, you little scamp." The mayor said, tickling the child briefly. "Daddy has work to do." He stood up and smiled at the young man. "Hello, I am the mayor, but you may dispense with any titles and simply call me Syrus."

"My name is Yami." The young man said. "Thank you for seeing me."

"My pleasure, my pleasure." Syrus said, smiling benevolently. "What can I do for you, Yami?"

"I am a former slave. I've nothing to my name, no home, no money." Yami explained. "I've heard that you help those in need of work and such."

"I do." Syrus agreed. "Do you have any particular skills?"

"I am skilled in carpentry." Yami answered. Syrus perked up in interest.

"Can you do anything ornate?" He asked.

"Like designs cut into the wood? Yes." Yami said, nodding his head. Syrus clapped his hands gleefully.

"Oh, we don't have our own carpenter here, no, not since the old one died without taking an apprentice." Syrus said. "Shame really, but here you are. Actually, I'd like to commission you right off. My wife needs a new chest, for her personal items."

"What size would you need it to be?" Yami asked.

"Ah… about four feet by two feet and two feet deep, I suppose." Syrus said.

"Are there any designs she'd like on it?"

"She loves flowers, absolutely adores them, has her own garden and everything." Syrus said proudly. "There's a shipment of timber coming in a couple days I believe, I can let you pick out your wood then. Er, do you need a payment up front?"

"About half will do." Yami answered. "I don't have much and I'll need the tools for the job."

"Oh, I'll take care of that. You'll be going into loan from me, but everyone I've helped has always paid me back, so I don't take it too seriously." Syrus informed him happily. The two of them hashed out a price for the chest. "You need somewhere to live too." Syrus realized. "I've got just the place, come, follow me."

One of the guards followed them as Syrus led Yami through the town. "Now, I don't mean to pry, but have you been a slave all your life?"

"I've been one for the last eight years, beyond that I do not know." Yami answered.

"Oh?"

"I cannot remember before, I do not know why." Yami said.

"I'm sorry to hear that." Syrus said. "So you could have been anyone? Even a prince!" Yami chuckled at that.

"I highly doubt that, but it does make me wonder." He admitted. "I think I might be Egyptian, because I was always drawn to here."

"Where were you?" Syrus asked.

"In Greece." Yami said.

"Are you looking for answers, then?"

"No, just looking for somewhere to call home." Yami answered honestly. Their walking took them to the outskirts of the town, where a small house stood on a gently sloping hillside, overlooking the Mediterranean Sea.

"It's small, but there's a shop where you can set up your work attached to it." Syrus said. "The well is about a five minute walk from here, away from the sea, and you can fish, there's lots of fish. Er, do you know the other reason this city is a bit unique?"

"No."

"Well, we have merfolk." Syrus informed him. "They're a peaceful folk, rather shy really, but we ask that you do not attempt to harm one of them. They have magic and they could call up tempests on us, chase away the fish. We have an agreement right now, with their king, a trading system of sorts, they like the things we make and in return they make sure the fish stay around and the seas stay calm around the harbour. So, if you see a merperson, don't try and hurt them, okay?"

"I would not." Yami said. "Thank you Syrus." He added, bowing his head respectfully. Syrus smiled cheerily.

"Oh don't thank me, I just like helping people." He said, heading back off towards the town, waving. Yami waved back, shaking his head. He'd not met many people as happy as Syrus before. He went inside his new home, looking around critically. The living space was very small, the bed a narrow cot and the eating area narrow. Still, it would do for one man, and the shop attached was a good size, so that was well. There were still dishes and sheets and all manner of things he needed to live in the house.

He headed down the hill towards the sea, having a look around. The shore was covered in smooth rocks and white sand and he picked his way over it easily in bare feet. There was an outcropping of rock that jutted about the length of two grown men, a normal sized man, most men stood at least a head taller than Yami, into the water nearby, which would be good to fish off of.

Yami stepped into the water, letting it wash over his dusty feet. The water was calm enough that he could clearly see his own reflection in it. Challenging ruby red eyes stared back at him. He had high cheekbones and bronze coloured skin. His hair was unusual, spiking up high above his head, the tips the same colour as his eyes with the body of it black. His bangs were a soft gold and there were three gold streaks in his hair, forking like lightning.

He was rather exotic looking, in the words of a former master. That master had tried making him a pleasure slave, but Yami had fought back, despite multiple punishments and finally he'd been left alone. None had ever managed to break his spirit. He was quite proud of that fact, and he bore the scars from his punishments with dignity.

He stared broodily into the water, seeing small fish swimming around his feet. He hadn't been lying when he said he wasn't looking for answers about his past. He'd stopped thinking that he could find out who he'd been years ago. It just wasn't important enough to waste time on. He knew who he was now, that was what was important.

Still, there were nights when he woke up from dreams of walking through halls of massive white stone pillars, his head heavy with gold, and wondered if that had been his life before, or if his mind was just fooling him. He wondered about if there was anyone left behind, anyone who mourned him, who thought him dead, or if his family had been the one to sell him in the first place.

He sighed and closed his eyes and then opened them again, looking at the sea. His mind was like the sea, he thought. On the surface he knew what was there, who he was, but the sea got deeper, and no one knew what was in its depths. That was like him, he didn't know what lurked within his own mind, what things had been lost there. It was probable that he never would.

He rubbed his calloused hands together and shook himself out of his thoughts. There were things to be done before Ra set in the sky. He stepped out of the water and trudged back up towards the house, finding a bucket. He needed water and would have to go into town to find food for his meals. He headed off towards the well, feeling satisfied that his life was finally his own.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~~~~&~~~~~~~~~~~~~~(~~~~~~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~~~~&~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Star: So, what do you think?


	2. Chapter 2

Star: I own nothing!

Syrus made good on his word, and after a couple days Yami had some nice sturdy cedar to work with and all the tools he needed to get started on his work. He spent a couple hours shaping the wood and then decided to take a break to go fishing.

He'd carved himself a spear out of a branch and he took this down to the shore with him, stepping over the rocks onto the little outcropping. He stood at the end of it, making sure he wasn't casting a shadow on the water and waited.

His first attempt to catch something failed and he settled again to wait for another big fish to swim by. He spotted one that looked promising and made to thrust his spear downwards. Just as he did so, something that was much too big for a fish swam into view. Yami tried to halt his movement, but only succeeded in overbalancing himself and with a yelp he fell into the water.

As the water closed over his head he futilely clawed at it, trying to kick upwards. It was no use, he'd never learned to swim, at least, he didn't remember learning to swim and it looked as though that oversight was going to be the death of him.

Suddenly there were arms around him and someone was pushing him from behind towards the surface. He gasped in air as his head broke the surface, not fighting the hands that guided him towards the shallows. He was left alone when he could kneel in the shallows and he stayed there, coughing up seawater for a few moments before he thought to look for whoever had saved him.

There was no one there. Yami looked around, but he saw no sign that anyone had been there, no footsteps on the ground, no drips of water. He thought back to the thing that he'd seen in the water, something with a large fin, and pale, human-like skin. Had he been saved by one of the merfolk?

"Thank you." He said aloud, in case whoever had saved him had been listening. There was no reply, so he shrugged and stood up, shaking water out of his hair. He'd find something other than fish for dinner tonight.

%&%&%&%

His thoughts strayed to his mysterious rescuer whenever he had a moment to himself. He was curious about them, and wondered if they would come back. He tried to shake the thoughts out of his head in order to do his work, but his mind kept going back. He wanted to properly thank whoever had saved him, and he wanted to see a merperson up close.

It was probably useless, Syrus had said that the merfolk were shy, but he could always hope. He snorted at himself; hope was a strange thing for a former slave to still have. Yet, he'd escaped and found himself a home where he could be free, hadn't he? If that wasn't an argument for hope, nothing was.

"Hello in there!" Syrus' cheery voice rang out. Yami looked up to find the mayor standing in the doorway of his shop, holding one small child on his hip and another peeking around his legs at Yami.

"Hello Syrus, what brings you here today?" Yami asked politely.

"Just wanted to see how you were settling in." Syrus said with a shrug. "Oh, the little imp hiding behind me is Akila and this," He bounced the toddler in his arms, making the boy giggle. "Is Ebo. We've one more due in a couple moons."

"Congratulations." Yami said honestly. "You are blessed to have such a big family."

"I am." Syrus sighed happily. "But enough of me, how is your work coming?"

"I shall be done with shaping the pieces by tomorrow, I think." Yami answered. "Then I must make them smooth and decorate them and then I will be able to put them together. It will not take me more than a moon to finish."

"Oh, I'm not worried." Syrus said unconcerned. "Just wanted to make sure you were making out okay. You have been well though, yes?"

"Yes." Yami didn't mention his thought that he'd been saved by one of the merfolk; he wanted to keep that knowledge for himself.

"Well then, I won't take up any more of your time." Syrus said, still smiling, and headed off again with his children. Yami thought to himself it must be nice to have that much happiness. Perhaps someday he might even have that kind of happiness.

In order to forestall the dark thoughts running through his mind he got back to work. Ra was hanging low in the sky by the time he stopped. He sat back, looking at the waters of the sea. After a few moments he took a small knife, an extra small bit of wood and walked down to the shore, sitting himself down on the end of the outcropping.

He began whittling the little piece of wood, coaxing a shape out of it. He wasn't really expecting anything to happen while he was sitting there, but he needed to do something. The shape of a shark was slowly forming under his hands. There'd been a dead shark in the market one day in Greece, and he'd been impressed by its ferocious look.

After a while he got the feeling that he was being watched. He looked down and saw a face staring up at him from beneath the water. The creature darted away as soon as it realized it had been seen, scales on a long finned tail flashing in the setting sun. Yami didn't react, but went back to carving.

After a few minutes, a head poked out of the water, some distance away. "Hello." Yami greeted. The head ducked below the water again. Syrus wasn't kidding about merfolk being shy obviously. He waited, calmly continuing his word and the head popped up again.

He was surprised to find that the hair of the merperson was very similar to his own, only lacking the golden lightning bolts through the body of his hair. He could only see the eyes of the figure above the water in addition to the hair. They were a deep, soft violet, a bewitching colour. They watched him carefully, not moving forwards or away.

Yami just kept working, acting like he wasn't curious at all about the merperson currently watching him. As he worked the creature swam closer and Yami caught another glimpse of its fin, which was the same deep violet as its eyes. He thought it was male, but was not sure.

The merperson drifted even closer, vivid eyes trained on Yami's hands in obvious fascination. Yami could now see that the merperson was in fact a merman. He looked young, almost childlike, but he had an adult confidence in his movements. His skin was pale, though it had a healthy pinkish glow to it. He lifted his head out of the water and Yami saw delicate looking gills on either side of his neck.

Yami blew sawdust off his finished carving and swiped his hand against it briefly, cleaning it off. He reached out his hand with the carving in it towards the merman. The merman darted away, resurfacing a short distance away. Yami chuckled slightly.

"This is for you." He said, indicating the carving. The merman drifted closer again, looking wary. "You're the one who rescued me yesterday, aren't you?" The merman nodded, blushing slightly. "Consider this a proper thank you, from me. I would have drowned without you."

He set the carving floating on the water and pushed it towards the merman. The merman reached out with one hand and gripped the carving in long, delicate, webbed fingers. He inspected it, turning it this way and that and then looked at Yami again.

"It's yours." Yami confirmed. The merman smiled at him and then dove beneath the water. "Goodbye, I guess."

Yami stood up to leave. When he got about halfway across the outcropping he heard a splash behind him. He turned and found that there was a rather large fish flopping about on the rocks. He went back and picked up the fish, finding the merman watching him there. He chuckled.

"You didn't have to get anything for me, that was a gift." The merman blushed again and dove out of sight. Yami, still chuckling, picked up the fish and headed back to his house with it. The little merman was rather cute.

He would eat well tonight, and even have some left over thanks to his new friend, if the merman could be called that. Yami wondered if he could coax him into actually talking to him. Did the merfolk understand the human speech, or did they have their own language? The merman had seemed to understand Yami, but maybe they didn't have the same vocal abilities as humans.

Thoughts like that could wait, however, he didn't even know if his merman would be back. Something told him the curious creature wouldn't be able to stay away, any more than Yami himself could have.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~~~~~&~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~(~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~~~&~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Star: Whheeee, second chapter done! Reviews make me happy!


	3. Chapter 3

Star: I own nothing

Yami woke up in a cold sweat, panting as chills wracked his body. He got up off his narrow bed and went outside. The cool night air chilled the sweat on his body, making him even colder, but he didn't care. He stared up at the stars, trying to remember what the dream had been about, but failing.

"Meskhetyw." He murmured, finding the constellation in the sky. "Sah, Sepdet." He never knew why he could remember the names of the constellations, but not his own name, but their familiarity soothed him. "Anu." His heart was calming down and he looked away from the stars, around at his home.

He wasn't a slave anymore, he was free. He kept reminding himself of that fact, and yet he was always looking over his shoulder, waiting for the lash to come down. He probably always would, but he would never again be anyone's slave, he would die before he allowed that. He was his own master now and he was the master of his own fate, charting his own course on the open seas.

He snorted at the ridiculous metaphor, deciding that he'd not gotten enough sleep in the last little while if that was how he was thinking. He looked at the sea, gleaming under the moonlight, wondering how his little merman slept, or if merfolk even slept at all.

He sighed; he really needed to sleep if this was where his thoughts were going to go. He trudged back inside and flopped down on his bed, pulling the sheets around himself. After a few minutes he grumbled and shifted around, trying to get comfortable. After what felt like an eternity, he fell asleep.

%&%&%&%

Far below the surface of the sea, a little merman stroked the carved shark while using his tail to make his kelp bed sway lightly. He smiled at the little carving happily. He human who had given it to him was kind, and he liked him.

The merman set the shark carving next to his bed and slipped his tail again, making his bed rock. He'd go see the human again tomorrow; maybe he'd actually be bold enough to talk to him. He fell asleep with a smile on his face.

%&%&%&%

Yami drew lines on the lid of the chest in charcoal, outlining what he wanted to carve into it. A few times he erased what he'd done and re-drew it. Once he was satisfied he got to work. This was his favourite part, getting to make something mundane into a masterpiece.

Curls of wood began to accumulate around him, but he just brushed them away and continued to carve out flowers from the wood, coaxing them into life. He settled into an almost trance-like state, focusing solely on the wood and nothing else. He was only roused from the state by a particularly loud growl from his stomach.

He got up, working the kinks from his back and legs and got himself a portion of bread and some of the dried fish that he'd smoked since yesterday. Ra was directly overhead and he stayed in the relative coolness of his shop to eat.

Once he was done he got back to work, making the hours of the day pass quickly. When he next looked up the shadows were getting longer. After a quick meal he decided he needed to clean himself and went down to the beach, taking soap and shedding his clothes on the way.

He stepped into the waters, finding them pleasantly warm from the heat of the day and went in up to his ribcage. His first act was to dunk himself fully underwater, coming up to shake the excess water out of his hair and then finger-combing through it, getting out dirt and any tangles that had formed in the thick mane.

Next he lathered his soap up and began to wash his body, washing away the feeling of grime and sweat off his body. As he finished scrubbing himself he noticed a set of ripples appear nearby. He pointedly ignored them, dunking his head underwater again to get any traces of dirt that he missed out.

When he resurfaced his little merman was there, watching him curiously a short distance away. "Hello again, Little One." Yami said. The merman made a face at him and Yami chuckled. "I don't know your name, what else am I supposed to call you?"

"Yugi, my name is Yugi." The merman answered. His voice was soft, sweet and gentle.

"Oh, so you do speak like us." Yami said. "Well then, hello Yugi. That's an unusual name."

"My mother came from the seas of the far East." Yugi explained. "My brothers and I all have names from her home. What is your name?"

"Yami."

"That is an Eastern name as well." Yugi commented.

"I didn't know that. I was just given it, I never knew if it even was a real name or some mockery they'd given me." Yami said.

"What do you mean?" Yugi asked, drifting closer.

"I was a slave, Yugi, and I cannot remember who I was before eight years ago." Yami explained.

"I'm sorry." Yugi said. "I am a Healer, but wounds of the mind are beyond my skill to Heal, I'm afraid."

"It's fine." Yami said.

"Your name, it means darkness, it's a real name." Yugi said. "If that's any consolation."

"It is, thank you." Yami said. He moved towards Yugi and Yugi swam backwards a ways. "I won't hurt you."

"No, I don't think you would." Yugi said. He swam close again. "I've never actually seen a human this close before."

"I've never seen a merman before." Yami replied, smiling. Yugi smiled back and swam around Yami, inspecting him. His smile died a little at the sight of the scars marring his back.

"Where did you get these?" he asked.

"Slaves are beaten if they are disobedient, if they do not do their job right, or even just if their master feels like it." Yami explained. "I was not a particularly obedient slave."

"If the wounds were fresh I could heal them without a trace, but they're old now…" Yugi murmured.

"I don't mind them." Yami said. "They remind me that I was stronger than the ones who tried to break me."

"Oh." Yugi said. He swam around to face Yami again. "I wonder why you look so much like me."

"Perhaps it is you who looks like me, Little One. How old are you?" Yami asked.

"Eighteen." Yugi said defensively, his tail swirling behind him. "Don't say I look like a little kid either."

"Then I will not." Yami said with a chuckle. "It seems we are around the same age, though I'm not completely sure of mine."

"Right, because you can't remember." Yugi said. "That doesn't bother you?"

"It does, sometimes. I wonder what kind of person I was. But I'm not actively looking for my past. I'm here now, I'm free, I have good prospects for my life, I'm not going to waste that chasing after something I may never find." Yami explained.

"Sounds like you have it all planned out." Yugi said with a faint giggle. He then looked to where Ra was hanging low in the sky. "I should go, or my brothers will come looking for me."

"Are you not supposed to be here?" Yami asked.

"No, it's not that. It's just, well I love my brothers, but they can be quite rowdy, and I'd like to keep this as mine only for now, if that's alright?" Yugi asked, gazing at Yami shyly. How could he say no to that face?

"It's fine with me if you keep coming back, though I do tend to get lost in my work." He informed his little merman.

"I'll splash, then you'll know I'm there." Yugi suggested.

"That should work quite nicely." Yami agreed. "So I'll see you again."

"Yes, have a good night." Yugi said before slipping under the water and swimming off.

"Goodnight." Yami replied, smiling to himself. He walked back to the shore and put his clothes back on. As he headed back to his house he hummed to himself, pleased with how the day had gone. He'd spoken to a merman, how could he not call this day good?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~~~~&~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~(~~~~~~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~~~~~&~~~~~~~~~~

Star: Reviews are loved!


	4. Chapter 4

Star: I own nothing!

Yami was in the middle of carving out a lily on the lid of the chest when the sound of splashing intruded upon his mind. He looked up, blinking quickly as he tried to reorient himself in the present, struggling to remember why the splashing was important. He smiled when he did and stood up, dusting bits of wood curls off himself.

He grabbed a handful of dried dates and headed down to the beach, where he could see Yugi flitting about just beneath the surface of the water. Yugi surfaced when he saw Yami coming. Yami could see an annoyed frown on his face.

"What is it?" Yami chuckled, walking to the end of the little outcropping and sitting down with his feet in the water. "You don't look happy to see me."

"I've been trying to get your attention for ages." Yugi complained. "I was beginning to think that you didn't want to see me."

"Little One, I told you I get lost in my work." Yami chided. "It takes a lot to bring me back out of it. What are you going to do if I've gone into town or to the well? Will you just completely snub me without finding out why I have not appeared?"

"No…" Yugi mumbled, looking embarrassed. "Maybe you could leave some sign on your house to show me that you're out or something?"

"That's actually a good idea. I'll see if I can find something that works." Yami agreed. "It might take me a couple of days though, so don't be disappointed if I'm not here when you come by."

"Okay." Yugi said, completely cheerful again. He swam up to Yami and dunked under the water. Yami frowned in confusion and then felt fingers on his feet. With a yelp he lifted his feet out of the water. Yugi surfaced, looking confused. "Did I do something wrong? I just wanted to see."

"No, I was just not expecting it." Yami said, letting his feet dangle again. "If you're going to inspect my legs, may I have a look at your tail?"

"Um… well…" Yugi blushed bright red. "You see…"

"Is it forbidden?" Yami asked.

"Not exactly…" Yugi said slowly. "It's just that traditionally tail touching is something only beloveds do."

"Ahh, I see." Yami said. "May I see your hands then?" Yugi held out his hands to Yami and Yami took one of them. He ran one finger along the webbing between Yugi's fingers, making the merman giggle softly. The membrane was thin, translucent and he could see tiny veins running through it.

"Your hands are all rough." Yugi commented.

"That tends to happen when you do a lot of rough work with them." Yami murmured. "Yours are very soft, but I guess being underwater all the time helps." He placed his palm against Yugi's. The contrast was very striking, pale against bronze, smooth and clean against calloused and scarred. The evidence of a hard life was forever etched into his skin.

"What's wrong?" Yugi asked. "You've got a bad look on your face."

"Just thinking about the past." Yami replied, trying for a smile. Yugi didn't look convinced. "Just because I've escaped my slavery doesn't mean that I'm not bitter about it."

"Oh." Yugi gripped Yami's hand gently. "I feel like I should say something to make you feel better, but I don't know what."

"Don't worry about it, it's not your task to make me feel better." Yami said, gripping Yugi's hand back. "Tell me more about yourself, you said you have brothers?"

"Three." Yugi answered. "Yusei's the oldest, he'll inherit the kingdom when Grandpa passes on."

"The kingdom?" Yami asked.

"Oops, I forgot to mention. I'm sort of a prince, though you humans don't really recognise the kingdoms of the seas." Yugi said, colouring slightly. "That doesn't worry you, does it?"

"No, Little One, it doesn't." Yugi splashed him for the nickname, making him chuckle. "Your other brothers?"

"Jaden's the next oldest, then it's me, and Shou's the youngest." Yugi said. "Jaden's kind of the wild one of the bunch, he's always roping Shou into his schemes and getting them both into trouble. Yusei's pretty serious, but he's the heir, so that's kind of expected. What are those?"

Yami had remembered the dates he'd been meaning to eat and was in the process of putting one of the dates in his mouth when Yugi asked. "They're dates." He said, chuckling at Yugi's curiosity. "Would you like to try one?"

Yugi took the offered date and took a delicate bite out of it. He chewed for a moment and then his face screwed up in disgust. Yami laughed at the look. "You don't have to eat the rest of it, just give it back." Yugi willingly gave the uneaten portion back to Yami. Yami immediately ate it. "I know that's probably gross, but you learn to take your food where you can get it, being a slave. What sort of things do you eat?"

"Pretty much anything that comes from the sea." Yugi shrugged. "Fish, clams, sea cucumbers, seaweed."

"Seaweed, really?" Yami asked.

"You eat vegetables, don't you? Same sort of thing." Yugi said, swirling his tail through the water. "I think humans eat it, but they dry it out first."

"I think I've seen that in the marketplace, actually." Yami said. "Never tempted to try it though." He looked up at the sky. "I should probably get some more work done before it becomes too dark."

"What do you do, exactly, that takes up so much of your attention?" Yugi asked.

"I'm a carpenter, I make things out of wood." Yami explained.

"Like the shark you gave me." Yugi said.

"Well, carving is more of a hobby, my work usually consists of making furniture, tables, chests and other such things." Yami clarified. "Though I do get the chance to put my own designs on them."

"Now I see why your hands need to be rough." Yugi giggled. "Well, goodbye until tomorrow then?"

"Of course." Yami agreed. Yugi dove beneath the water and flitted away. Yami finished the rest of his dates and went back to work. Once he was satisfied with his progress for the day he sat back and pondered Yugi's idea on leaving something out to show that he was in fact at home.

He found a discarded piece of wood and carved it into a circle, smoothing out the edges carefully. Even if it was just a marker he wanted it to be well made; he was a bit of a perfectionist that way. Once the soon-to-be sign was shaped to his content he pondered what he should carve into it.

If it was going to be a sign to all, not just Yugi, it should mean something, something that defined him. The idea came to him and he began to carve, working delicately, smiling a slightly vicious smile as he did so. He inspected his finished product with satisfaction. He'd carved a chain into the wood, a chain with broken links in it. It would serve as his signature for all his works from now on, he decided.

He stained the wood, making the chain darker than the rest of it and attached a piece of twine to it. He carried it outside, where there was a nail driven into the wall by the door and set the sign hanging from the nail. There, now he felt like he had a real shop.

He went down to the shore to make sure that Yugi would be able to see the sign when he came to call. Once he was satisfied it was visible enough he went back up and put the sign away. He needed to go into town for food after all.

He purchased goat's cheese and figs from a friendly old woman who asked a lot of questions. He also purchased some fish and a bit of dried seaweed, to see if it was actually good. Yugi had tried his dates after all, he should be able to try new things.

Ra was setting when he got back to his house and prepared his dinner. He chose to sit outside and eat, watching as the stars winked into being, finding the familiar constellations as they appeared to him. He wondered if Yugi ever looked at the stars, or if he just stayed beneath the water at night. He would have to ask sometime.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~&~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~(~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~~~&~~~~~~~~~~

Star: Review plz!


	5. Chapter 5

Star: I own nothing!

By the time Yami was done Syrus' chest for him, Syrus had extoled his work to a visiting nobleman, and Yami got another commission for a dining table. The table was to be carved with specific characters, depicting a story, which the nobleman left on some scrolls when Yami informed him that he could neither read nor write. It embarrassed him, but he wasn't entirely sure why, most slaves did not know how to write after all.

Yugi had been delighted with Yami's solution to knowing whether he was home or not, and so far it seemed to be working. Yami was getting used to the sound of splashing interrupting his work and looked forward to seeing Yugi. They talked about just about everything, telling each other stories and explaining the boring details of their everyday lives.

Yami was a little surprised at his own eagerness to see Yugi time and time again. By nature he was something of a loner, preferring his own company most of the time. Yugi was something different, there was something about him that drew Yami in and made him abandon his discomfort in social situations.

It was an unusually hot day, so Yami was sitting in the shallows while Yugi lazily flipped around in the water. "Watching you makes me wish I knew how to swim." Yami commented.

"Why don't you learn?" Yugi asked.

"Who would teach me?" Yami replied with a shrug.

"I could." Yugi said.

"Little One, you're a merman, swimming to you is like breathing." Yami reminded him. "Besides, human bodies work different than mermen."

"I know that." Yugi said, sounding miffed. "I've seen the way humans swim, it's not that hard to figure out." He looked thoughtful for a moment, his tail flicking back and forth. "There is something else we can try, but…"

"But what?" Yami asked, intrigued.

"Do you trust me?" Yugi asked. Yami stared at him, startled by the question. Did he trust Yugi? He'd only known the merman for a fortnight, and yet he'd grown close to him in that time. He didn't believe that Yugi was capable of petty cruelty. All life was risk after all, and those that didn't take those risks didn't get anywhere.

"Yes, I trust you." He finally said. Yugi smiled widely and moved towards him, his scales scraping against the sandy bottom of the shallows. He took Yami's face in his hands and murmured something in a sibilant tongue.

"There, now stick your head underwater and breathe in." Yugi instructed. Yami gave him a suspicious look. "Trust me." Yugi said. Yami stuck his face in the water, but his mind rebelled against taking a breath. He finally forced himself to breathe in and instead of immediately choking on water he found that he was in fact breathing air.

He lifted his head out of the water and looked at Yugi, who looked like he was going to do a flip out of happiness. "How?" Yami asked.

"We're very good with magic, us merfolk." Yugi said smugly. "It's sort of like you have your own invisible bubble of air around your face that you're breathing instead of the water." He held out a hand to Yami. "Would you like to see what it's like underwater now?"

Yami took his hand and let Yugi lead him into deep water. He experienced a sense of panic as the water closed over his head, but Yugi squeezed his hand reassuringly and he took a breath, relaxing when he found he was still breathing air. He opened his eyes and Yugi smiled at him encouragingly, tugging on his hand.

Yami kicked his legs, finding that he had some instinctive idea on how to move forward in the water. Yugi was infinitely more graceful than he was though. Yami looked up at the surface of the water above him and exhaled a stream of bubbles. He felt muffled, like he'd been wrapped all around in something warm and gently rocking. It was soothing, almost completely silent below the water.

"What do you think?" Yugi asked. "You can talk like this."

"It's strange, but not in a bad way." Yami answered, bubbles coming out of his mouth with every word. He could see Yugi's gills working now, fluttering with every breath Yugi took. He wanted to touch, but he'd been told that the gills were very easy to damage and that to allow someone to touch your gills was one of the highest shows of trust in the merfolk world.

Yugi must have seen him looking because he smiled and swam closer, gently pressing Yami's hand against his gills. "Yugi, what?"

"You're trusting me to hold your life in my hands and not end it, it's only fair I trust you with mine in return, isn't it?" Yugi said calmly.

"I suppose it is." Yami agreed. He ran his fingers lightly over Yugi's gills, constantly aware that he could seriously hurt Yugi if he did something wrong. The gills worked under his fingers, fluttering softly. They were soft and he could feel the water being passed through them.

"Thank you." He said, taking his hand away.

"That felt nice, actually." Yugi said, sounding surprised.

"Well, if they're that sensitive, then the right kind of touch will probably feel good." Yami said practically.

"Maybe." Yugi admitted. He let go of Yami's hand. Yami flailed for a second and then realized he wasn't sinking. "Your body wants to float, just let it." Yugi told him. Yami kicked slightly, finding that the motion propelled him upwards a little bit. It helped if he used his hands to scoop the water away from him.

Yugi darted away from him, teasing him into chasing him. Yami did so, in the process figuring out how to best to move through the water. He eventually started getting tired and signalled an end to the game. Yugi was understanding and the two of them headed back to shore.

"That was fun." Yugi chirped.

"It was." Yami agreed. Yugi touched his face, taking the spell away. "You can't leave it on?"

"It would drain away my magic if I left it alone." Yugi explained. "I'd rather not have that."

"Of course." Yami said.

"Can we do this again?" Yugi asked eagerly.

"If you wish to." Yami replied. Yugi crowed in happiness and tackle-hugged Yami, making him lose his balance and go under.

"Oops, sorry." Yugi said, blushing. Yami just laughed.

"It's alright Little One." He replied. Yugi pouted.

"You just like teasing me with that nickname, don't you?" He demanded.

"Perhaps…" Yami said slowly, giving Yugi a wicked smirk. Yugi splashed him in retaliation. Yami laughed heartily and splashed him back. "Alright, I think I've taken a long enough break for today." Yami said regretfully. "Until tomorrow."

"Until tomorrow." Yugi echoed, as he always did. He flipped his tail at Yami in a wave and disappeared into the water. Yami squeezed the water out of his hair and went back up to the shop. He had an idea in his head that he was itching to carve, but he needed to get back to work.

He frowned at the table he was working on, cocking his head as he eyed it critically. He was moving ahead of schedule on it, there was no reason he couldn't take some time off to do something for himself. Having made his decision he found a small piece of wood, sat down in the coolest part of his house and began to whittle.

A curved tail with a wide, fan-like fin took shape under his fingers. A narrow, sleekly muscled torso followed along with arms that ended in hands with webbed fingers, one of them outstretched as though encouraging someone. The head was last, spiked hair carefully carved out and a laugh etched upon the figure's face.

Yami inspected his finished product, feeling satisfied. He'd captured Yugi's essence perfectly, the playful, friendly nature of him. He cleaned off sawdust from the figure and set it on his kitchen table. He would keep this one for himself.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~&~~~~~~~~~~~~~~(~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~~&~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Star: Review plz!


	6. Chapter 6

Star: I own nothing!

"Why Healing, exactly? You're a prince, after all." Yami asked Yugi. He was sitting in the shallows, Yugi beside him, his tail making small ripples in the water.

"It's my talent, I should use it. Just because I'm a prince doesn't mean I shouldn't have something to do." Yugi answered. "Yusei's going to run the kingdom, the rest of us will leave home eventually, find somewhere new to settle down, or get married off to another royal in another kingdom to keep the kingdoms connected."

"Are you betrothed?" Yami asked, his stomach doing a strange little flop at the prospect.

"No, Yusei is though." Yugi giggled. "His fiancé is a prince named Jack, he's from around a large island in the sea south of India."

"A prince? Does your brother not need to produce an heir? Why get betrothed to a prince?" Yami asked.

"Well, for your first question, if two males get married they will find a surrogate mother to carry the heir." Yugi explained. "As for the second, even if the marriage is arranged we want the two being married to at least like each other. Princes and princesses will spend time in each other's courts and if a potential match is seen the kingdoms will consult with each other and the ones being betrothed to see if this is what they want."

"Sounds reasonable, I suppose." Yami said. "So your brother loves this Jack?"

"They're funny, always arguing about something or other, but strangely enough they both agreed to the match and Jaden's caught them a few times in… compromising positions." Yugi giggled. "Yusei wasn't very happy with him."

"I see. So you'll either get married, or leave home and pick up a career as a Healer somewhere else?" Yugi nodded. "Why not just stay?"

"It's just tradition." Yugi shrugged. "I'm sure there's traditions that humans have that don't really have a reason for them."

"True." Yami conceded. "You said that your grandfather rules, what happened to your parents?" He'd been avoiding the question, not sure if it was something Yugi felt comfortable talking about it.

"There was a great sickness when I was young, it killed many of our people, including my parents." Yugi murmured, looking down. "That's why I want to be a Healer, so I can help people."

"I'm sorry Little One, you must miss them a lot." Yami said, putting a hand around Yugi's shoulders. Yugi rested his head on Yami's shoulder.

"At least I can remember them." Yugi commented. "You don't even have that luxury."

"For all I know my parents were the ones who sold me into slavery in the first place." Yami said. Yugi looked at him, shocked.

"Why would someone do something like that?" He demanded.

"It's not that uncommon, I'm afraid." Yami said gently. "Sometimes people are very poor, and have a lot of children, and they become desperate enough to sell one or two, in order to keep themselves alive."

"That's horrible." Yugi said.

"It's a terrible thing for a parent to have to do, a terrible thing to be that desperate." Yami agreed. "Enough of this though, it is far too depressing."

"Yes, it is." Yugi said. "Have you gotten more work?"

"Yes, it seems I'm getting something of a reputation, thanks to Syrus." Yami chuckled.

"Grandpa says Syrus is a good man that comes from a good family. It was Syrus' family that cemented the good relationship between our people and yours." Yugi explained. "Not many merfolk are as comfortable around humans as we are."

"Do they live deeper in the seas then?" Yami asked. "To avoid contact, I mean."

"Some do. Others are just careful not to be seen." Yugi said. "Some humans have strange ideas about what merfolk do."

"You mean like the legend of the sirens." Yami guessed. Yugi nodded. "People are crazy sometimes."

"Apparently." Yugi said. "Well, I think I've distracted you for long enough."

"You probably have." Yami chuckled. Yugi gave him a brief hug and then slid out of sight under the water as he always did. The pang Yami felt in his chest when Yugi left had started to become familiar as well.

%&%&%&%

A man Yami recognised as a fisherman was waiting patiently for Yami to notice him. "I should get something that makes noise for when people come." Yami muttered, putting down his tools. "My apologies, I hope you were not waiting long."

"No, I was not." The tall, nearly black-skinned man said. "I am Anan, son of Kwesi." He bowed his head.

"I am Yami, son of no one." Yami replied, bowing his head back. "What can I do for you?"

"I wish to commission your work on my mast." Anan answered.

"Does the city not have shipyards with woodworkers for that?" Yami asked, confused.

"They do, but the woodworkers do not do delicate work." Anan indicated the carvings that Yami was etching into his latest work, a small box for jewellery. "They are not artists, you are."

"I don't know if I'd go that far." Yami said, trying not to puff up in pride. "Do you wish for carvings in your mast then?"

"Yes, yes, that is exactly right." Anan said. "My people believe that the gods like beautiful things, and that your carvings, as they are quite beautiful, will grant our boat the favour of the gods. Will you come?"

Yami looked up at the sky. It was still fairly early in the day and he was making good time with his other commissions. "I will come. This will likely take me most of the day though, just so that you understand." Anan nodded his head eagerly. Yami stood up and brushed off his shirt and shenti. He took the sign off the front of the house and placed it inside the shop, showing that he was out.

"Is it true that you were a slave?" Anan asked, obviously having seen his symbol.

"It is." Yami replied stiffly.

"Please, I do not mean to offend. My family was once slaves too. My father bought his freedom. I have heard what slaves go through and my respect for you is great knowing what you have faced in your life." Anan said quickly.

"Thank you." Yami said. "I prefer not to speak of it, if you do not mind."

"Of course, of course." They made their way to the shipyard, where Anan's mast was laid out on the ground. Yami inspected it for a long while, asking questions about what Anan wanted for it. They finally decided on a pattern of fishes trailing up and around the mast, ending with the names of Anan's family and their chosen symbol.

Yami got to work, carving out fishes on the mast. Every so often the mast would have to be rolled to give him better access. Anan's family chattered and sang around him, providing him with food and drink, insisting he take breaks often in the heat of the day. He joined in the songs after a while, laughing with them."

They drew a bit of a crowd from the other fishermen and dock workers, but their gazes were merely curious and not hostile, so Yami did not mind the stares. It was late afternoon by the time he finished, cleaning bits of wood off himself and the mast.

"Will you not sign it?" Anan asked. "An artist must always sign his work. The gods will see and grant you their favours too." Yami chuckled and carved his symbol, the broken chain, into the base of the mast. "Many thanks to you, Yami." Anan said, pressing a small handful of coins into Yami's hand.

"This is too much." Yami protested. Anan closed Yami's hand over the money, shaking his head.

"My father insisted. He calls the extra a gift, from one former slave who made it out, to another." Yami looked around Anan at his father. The old man nodded sagely, smiling. Yami knew to refuse would be rude, so he merely smiled and took the money, bowing to Anan's father before he left.

~~~~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~&~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~(~~~~~~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~~~&~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Star: Review plz!


	7. Chapter 7

Star: I own nothing!

Yami strode up to Syrus' house, carrying a heavy bag with him. The guard, recognising him, nodded a hello and let him pass. He'd carved a toy dolphin for the guard's daughter. Syrus was sitting at a desk covered in scrolls, scales and other tools. He looked up as Yami came in and smiled.

"Well, look who it is." He chuckled, putting down his reed. "How are you today, Yami?"

"I am well, Syrus, what about you?" Yami asked politely.

"I'd be better if I wasn't dealing with all this mess." Syrus sighed, indicating his neck. "What can I do for you, Yami?"

"Here." Yami dropped the heavy bag on Syrus' desk. It clanked, being full of coins. Syrus looked at it and looked at Yami. "My debt to you repaid."

"That only took you three moons." Syrus said, sounding pleasantly surprised.

"My business is doing well, thanks for the most part to your recommendations." Yami said. Syrus waved off the compliment.

"You would have done just fine on your own, I just helped a little." Syrus said. He drew the sack of money towards himself and began counting out a small pile of coins. He then shoved the pile towards Yami.

"I don't understand." Yami said. "I'm repaying you, I don't want charity."

"I want a new desk." Syrus explained. "Something bigger, with your own personal style in it. My wife's chest is making me jealous." He added with a belly laugh. "That is your down payment, it is not charity." Yami nodded and scooped the pile of coins up. "And if I may suggest something." Syrus said as he was about to leave. "Don't be too proud to accept help, even if you don't think you need it."

"I'll try to remember that." Yami replied. "Thank you, Syrus."

"I am here to serve." Syrus replied.

"I thought we were the ones serving you?" Yami asked with a chuckle.

"A good politician serves the people, not the other way around." Syrus said. Yami bowed his head and took his leave, already coming up with plans for Syrus' new desk.

%&%&%&%

"You've started a trend." Yugi giggled, resting his hands on the rocks of the outcrop that Yami was sitting on, eating his lunch. "Even the other merfolk have noticed it, they think the carved masts are pretty." The carvings on Anan's boat had drawn interest from the other fishermen and he'd been approached by many, asking him to carve something into their masts, whether it was simply for aesthetic purposes, or that what was carved into the masts was prayers to the gods for good winds and calm seas. The harbour was now filled with boats bearing Yami's handiwork.

"Free advertising." Yami commented. Yugi giggled and stole one of Yami's grapes. Yami gave him a mock-glare, but Yugi just stuck his tongue out at him. "You are an imp, my Little One."

"No I'm a-" His reply was cut off by a yelp as something dragged him underwater. Yami let out a cry and dove in, thankful his time with Yugi had made him a much better swimmer. When the bubbles cleared from around him he saw Yugi whack a laughing merman with his fin and start scolding him. The laughing merman had a mess of dark brown hair, expressive brown eyes and a crimson coloured tail. Floating nearby was another merman, smaller, younger, with soft light blue hair, grey eyes and a blue-grey tail. He looked mildly embarrassed.

Yugi noticed Yami just as he was running out of air and darted over to him, speaking the spell that would allow him to breathe underwater. "I take it these are your brothers." Yami said drily.

"Aw, he knows about us, but we don't know about him, no fair, right Shou?" The red-tailed merman must have been Jaden then.

"Jaden, why do you have to stick your fin in everything?" Yugi asked, exasperated.

"Because he's a pain in the fin." A new voice said. Another merman swam up, his movements measured and elegant, rather than the rapid dips and darts of the others. This one was obviously older with black hair streaked with gold and commanding blue eyes and his tail was completely black. He swam a slow circle around Yami and Yami had the feeling that he was being weighed in that stare. "It's not often we consort with humans so easily, you must be something special." He remarked.

"I'm just a former slave turned carpenter." Yami said. "My name is Yami." He bowed as best he could in the water, already guessing who the third merman was.

"I am Prince Yusei." He greeted in return.

"Hey Yusei, I bet this is where Yugi's been disappearing off to every day. What's the deal, Yugi, hanging out with a human all the time?"

"For your information he's my friend, Jaden." Yugi snapped.

"And you never told us about him, I'm hurt, we're hurt, aren't we Shou?" Shou just blushed and hid behind Jaden, apparently as shy as Yugi had been those first couple times.

"Jaden, enough." Yusei said firmly. Jaden shut up immediately. "Yugi obviously had his reasons for not telling us."

"I just wanted to have time that was just my own." Yugi said, still sounding irritated. "You're always butting into things, Jaden."

"Am not." Jaden protested. "What's so interesting about him anyways?"

"We like to talk." Yugi explained.

"Boring." Jaden declared. "You can keep him to yourself in that case. Come on Shou, let's go scare up some fish." He began to swim off.

"Sorry about him." Shou murmured before following after Jaden. Yusei stayed, still watching Yami.

"You said you were a slave?" He asked.

"Yes, your highness." Yami said. Yusei smiled slightly.

"You don't call my brother highness, do you?" Yami shook his head. "Then I don't need to be called highness either." Yusei informed him. "You do not feel like a slave to me."

"I had never known anything else." Yami shrugged, feeling confused.

"And yet there's something about you I can't quite put my fin on." Yusei murmured, completing another slow circle around Yami and then staring into his eyes. "Something almost royal."

"Royal? Me?" Yami scoffed.

"You hold yourself proudly, and there's fire and authority in your eyes. You give off a commanding air." Yusei said. "Perhaps you are not royal by blood, but there is the heart of regality in you."

"I'm just a carpenter." Yami shrugged. "And I am happy with that." Yusei searched his face for a moment more and then nodded his head, turning to Yugi.

"You are being careful, aren't you?" He asked.

"Yes, Yusei. I'm not Jaden, I don't plunge into things headfirst." Yugi sighed.

"Good thing. I don't think I could deal with two of him." Yusei muttered. "Hopefully he won't bother you two, if he does, let me know."

"Thanks Yusei." Yusei smiled and ruffled Yugi's hair fondly.

"It's nice to meet you, Yami." Yusei said.

"And you." Yami replied. Yusei nodded his head and swam off at a leisurely pace. "Your brother is quite the commanding presence." He commented when he was gone.

"He is." Yugi agreed. "I think he'll be a great king. Sorry about Jaden."

"He's.. something alright." Yami admitted.

"Funny, that's how most people describe him." Yugi said. Yami laughed and Yugi darted away. Yami kicked out and gave chase.

~~~~~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~&~~~~~~~~~~~~~~(~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~~~~&~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Star: Review plz!


	8. Chapter 8

Star: I own nothing!

It was fully dark when Yami heard splashing from down on the shore. He frowned and got up, going outside. The moon was full, which meant he could see the outline of a merman waiting for him in the shallows.

"What are you doing here?" Yami asked, walking down.

"That's a nice way to greet someone." Yugi replied with a pout.

"I will rephrase, what are you doing here at this time of night?" Yami asked.

"You talk about the stars, I wanted to watch them with you." Yugi said, his tail curling in embarrassment. He looked so hopeful that Yami could only chuckle and sit down in the shallows. Yugi pulled himself up next to him and Yami put an arm around his middle.

"Do you know the star stories?" Yami asked.

"I've heard the local ones." Yugi replied. "Can you tell me the ones they had in Greece?"

"Alright." Yami looked at the sky. "You see those three stars in a line there? They call that Orion's belt. The rest of his body is around him. Orion was a hunter, such a great hunter that he threatened to kill every beast on earth, so the gods sent a monstrous scorpion to kill him. You can see the scorpion up there too, see? There's its tail."

Yugi rested his head against Yami's shoulder, looking up. "What else is up there?"

"There's Cancer, the crab. He tried to distract Heracles when he was fighting the Hydra, but was killed." Yami replied. The feel of Yugi leaning against him spread warmth through his body. Gods, was this what it felt like to fall in love with someone?

"There's Cassiopeia, a vain queen who boasted too much about her beauty. She's sitting in a chair and she gets turned upside down half the time in punishment for her hubris." Yami explained.

"The Greeks have some funny myths." Yugi giggled.

"Most don't end very nicely, I think the Greeks just like tragedy a little too much." Yami replied. "Do your people have stories for the stars?" Yugi shook his head.

"We're not up on the surface enough for them to seem important." Yugi explained. "Our stories are about the deep oceans, the trenches that are the pathways to the underworld and the great mountains that spew out fire, even where it's so cold and dark."

"It sounds so otherworldly." Yami said.

"It's home." Yugi shrugged. "The land is otherworldly to me."

"Fair enough." Yami conceded. Yugi shifted against him, nuzzling his cheek against Yami's shoulder. Yami's heart skipped a beat.

"This wasn't the only reason I came here tonight." Yugi said softly.

"Oh?"

"I wanted to tell you something, but I'm not sure if I should, or how to even tell you." Yugi murmured.

"Why is that?" Yami asked, his stomach knotting itself.

"I'm afraid." Yugi whispered.

"Little One, why are you afraid? Is it because of me?" Yami asked desperately.

"No… yes? NO!" Yugi shook his head. "Oh gods, just…" He gripped Yami's hand and placed it on his tail, staring at him, pleading for him to understand. Yami did, but he was having trouble processing it. Finally he moved his hand off Yugi's tail. Yugi let out a distressed noise that turned into a surprised squeak when Yami cupped his face in his hands and kissed him gently on the mouth.

After a moment he pulled away, but let his hand stray to Yugi's neck, gently rubbing his thumb against his gills. The other hand settled back on Yugi's tail, stroking gently. Yugi stared at him for a moment and then burst into tears.

"Yugi, Yugi, what's wrong?" Yami asked, at a loss. Hadn't Yugi wanted him to react that way?

"Nothing's wrong. I'm happy." Yugi hiccupped. "I was so scared that you'd reject me, and you wouldn't want to be my friend anymore."

"Oh Yugi." Yami sighed, drawing Yugi into his embrace. "You are too precious to me to give up my friendship with you so easily."

"Thank the gods that you feel the same way though." Yugi whispered against his chest. "I'm not sure I'd be able to face you again after that if you didn't."

"There now, it didn't happen, there's no use getting anxious over it, yes?" Yami stated, kissing Yugi's forehead.

"Can you kiss me again? On the lips I mean, it felt nice." Yami chuckled and complied, keeping it chaste. "That feels nice."

"That's why people do it, Little One." Yami chuckled. "Do merfolk kiss?"

"Not as much, it's more touch to convey affection, tails and gills, you know?" Yugi replied. He sighed. "I should probably get home." He admitted ruefully. "It's getting late."

"It is." Yami agreed, somewhat reluctantly. "One more kiss for goodbye?" Yugi nodded eagerly and Yami kissed him once more. Yugi stroked his neck where his gills would have been had he been a merman and then slipped away. Yami had to prevent himself from shouting in joy as he walked back to his house.

%&%&%&%

Yami was humming to himself, a tune he knew but didn't know how he knew it, as he worked on Syrus' new desk. "Well, you seem to be in a good mood today." Yami looked up, finding Syrus standing there, with his little girl, Akila, holding his hand. "It is looking good so far."

"Thank you, Syrus." Yami said. Akila let go of her father's hand and began to wander around the shop, watching him shyly. Yami smiled at her awkwardly, and she seemed to take that as an invitation, as she walked over to him and plopped down in his lap. Yami stared, completely at a loss when it came to children.

"Akila, darling, you can't just drop into everyone's lap." Syrus said, sounding both amused and exasperated. "I'm sorry Yami, she does this with everyone."

"It's fine." Yami said, trying to adjust Akila so she wouldn't accidently press into something tender. Akila frowned and stuck her thumb in her mouth, reaching out to touch the unfinished desk. "She's not hurting anything." He smiled widely.

"You are in a very good mood today, aren't you?" Syrus said, peering down at him. "You've got a look in your eyes that I know well. You have met someone, haven't you?"

"Met someone?" Yami replied, keeping his knife out of Akila's reach.

"Ooh, you have, I can tell." Syrus said, sounding absolutely delighted. "Is it that little merman who keeps hanging around?"

Yami's head shot up at that and his eyes narrowed in suspicion. "I don't know what you're talking about." He said coldly. He didn't think Syrus would harm Yugi, but he was too protective not to think of the possibility.

"This is a harbour town, it's not as though you are hidden." Syrus reminded him. "Oh dear, I've upset you. I'm delighted for you Yami, it's not often any of the merfolk take interest in humans." Yami felt some of the tension leave him. "Besides, you heard me that first day, it would be foolish of me to try and harm your new lover."

"That's true." Yami felt like kicking himself for forgetting that. "His name is Yugi, and yes, I am seeing him now."

"Ooh, isn't that lovely." Syrus gushed. "You'll have to forgive me, I'm such a hopeless romantic." Yami chuckled at the mayor's antics.

"Tell me Syrus, do you just check up on me?" Yami asked.

"Oh no, I like to take walks through the town, visit people, say hello." Syrus answered. "I stopped by to see Anan and his family, there's was the first ship to get one of your carvings, were they not?"

"Yes, how is he?" Yami inquired.

"His wife is expecting again, he says if it's a boy he wants to name him Yami." Yami laughed incredulously at that. Really, the thought of him inspiring anyone to name a child after him was kind of ridiculous. He was just a slave turned carpenter.

"Come on Akila, we will leave Yami to his work." Syrus said, apparently not noticing the lack of humour in Yami's laugh. Akila got up and took her father's hand. "I wish you all the best with your merman, Yami!"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~~~~~&~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~(~~~~~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~~~~&~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Star: Review plz!


	9. Chapter 9

Star: I own nothing!

Yami had a merman in his lap and he couldn't be happier about it. Yugi let out a sound like the purr of a cat as Yami stroked his tail with one hand and lightly ran his fingertips over his gills with the other. He pressed a kiss to the nape of Yugi's neck, tasting the salt of the sea on his skin and thanked the gods for two months of loving this beautiful creature.

There was something that still worried him though. He wanted to keep Yugi, keep him forever, allow him to be no one else's, but Yugi was a merman, and Yami was not. He tried not to think about this fact, just enjoy Yugi's company, Yugi's love, but it was an ever present question in his mind; how long could they really last?

"Yami?" Yugi asked, bringing him out of his thoughts.

"Hm?"

"What are you thinking of?" Yugi asked.

"Nothing." Yami lied. Yugi turned and frowned at him.

"Don't lie to me, Yami." Yugi said sternly. "You're all tense, I can feel it. Now what's wrong?" Yami looked down into Yugi's determined face and relented with a sigh.

"I just wonder how this is going to work in the long term." He admitted. "I'm of the land, you're of the sea, it just feels as though this is doomed."

"Don't say that." Yugi demanded, turning around his arms to face him. "We're not doomed."

"How Little One?" Yami asked despondently. "We are of two different worlds."

"Do you want me to stay?" Yugi asked. "Tell me the truth, do you want this to be forever?"

"Yes, Yugi, I do. I want to be the only one who ever gets to touch you like this." Yami replied.

"I was worried, that you didn't feel as strongly." Yugi said. "We form close attachments quite quickly, but I know that courtship often takes a long time with humans, so I didn't say anything. I was afraid you'd think I was being foolish."

"For what?" Yami asked. "You're being evasive, Little One."

"There is a spell that can change one's species." Yugi explained. "It would solve our problem."

Yami thought about becoming a merman. He didn't mind being underwater, but he didn't think he'd enjoy spending his whole life there. He'd miss his work, the stars, the smell of the air. He could do it, if it was for Yugi, but he wasn't sure he wouldn't start to hate it after a while.

"Yugi, I-" Yugi silenced him with a kiss.

"It's okay, I understand." He said gently. "As much as you enjoy swimming with me you're always happiest on land, I know that. I can become human."

"Little One, I cannot ask you to-"

"You don't have to." Yugi said.

"You have a family, people who care about you…" Yami protested.

"And I would be leaving the kingdom anyways soon." Yugi reminded him. "With you I get to stay close to home, and with the man I love. I don't mind giving up the sea if it means I get you, forever."

Yami felt ashamed of himself. Yugi obviously loved him more than he did if he was willing to give up his species for him. He was just being selfish. Yugi seemed to notice his shame and cupped his face in his hands, kissing him softly.

"I know you love me, and I know if it came down to being with me or not at all you would do the same, but I don't want you to feel forced to take this step. I always knew I was going to leave home someday, I'm just taking it a step further than most." Yugi explained.

"You're too good for me." Yami murmured. Yugi kissed him again.

"No, you're just perfect. Because I know that you will never abandon me, and I know that you'd never let anything hurt me." He replied.

"You would really do this, for me?" Yami asked.

"Not just for you, for me too. I don't intend to let you go any time soon." Yugi replied. "If you don't want me to…" He added quickly, looking away.

"I do, I do." Yami said fervently. "I just want to make sure this is what you want and not what you think I want."

"It is, I know it is." Yugi responded. "I love you."

"I love you too." Yami replied. "I love you so much."

"I'm going to call my grandfather now." Yugi murmured.

"Huh?"

"He's the one who can perform the spell." Yugi answered, placing his hands in the water.

"You want to do this now?" Yami asked, somewhat surprised.

"If we wait I'm afraid I'll get scared and not want to do it anymore, I don't want that." Yugi explained, blushing. He spoke something and a trail of purple burst from his palms and sped through the water, disappearing into the deep. "It shouldn't take too long for him to get here."

Yami stroked the scales on Yugi's tail. If Yugi was right, this was the last chance he would get to do so. He tried to imagine Yugi with human legs, long, pale and soft. He wondered if Yugi would be as responsive to him touching them as he was with his tail.

After what felt like an eternity, but surely couldn't have been because Ra had not moved in the sky a head popped out of the water nearby. "Grandpa!" Yugi cried happily, flinging himself at the elderly man. His hair had the same spiked pattern as Yugi's, but it had gone completely grey, as had the short beard that he sported. His eyes were the same shade of violet as well. He was stocky, solidly built with a dark purple tail.

"You've made your decision then?" Yugi's grandfather asked. Yugi nodded. "Hm, can't say I'm surprised. I will speak to your lover first though." Yami saw the old King gesture for him to come closer. He waded out into the water and bowed his head.

"I am King Solomon, it is a pleasure finally meet you, Yami." The King said.

"The pleasure is mine, your highness." The king laughed.

"Merfolk do not put such a high value on titles and as you are set to become my son-in-law it is only fair you call me by my name." Solomon said. "I know my grandson's mind and I know he wouldn't do this unless he was absolutely sure, but I don't know about you. So tell me, Yami, look into my eyes and tell me if you will promise to protect my grandson, to love him and to never harm him, to never abandon him no matter what."

Yami looked steadily into Solomon's eyes. He didn't even have to think about this. "I love Yugi with everything I am, he is the stars in my sky. If I ever harm him, or if I ever abandon him may the gods strike me down where I stand. I would protect him with my life and would gladly die if it meant he should live. If it is within my power I would never see him hurt or want for anything. That I promise you."

Solomon gazed at him hard for a few moments before smiling. "Yusei was right, there is something royal about you." He observed. "The other boys will likely show up later to threaten your life if you ever hurt Yugi, but I'll keep them at bay for as long as I can to let you two settle in." He winked, which made Yugi blush. "Come here, Yugi."

Yugi swam to his grandfather and took his hands. Solomon began speaking in that strange, sibilant language that was the merpeople's magic speech and Yugi began to glow. Yami had to look away as the light became blinding.

When he blinked open his eyes Yugi was in his grandfather's arms, looking nervous and dazed. "Come Yami, he will need your help getting around." Yami moved forward and slid his hands under the water to hoist Yugi into his arms. He headed back to shore, lifting Yugi out of the water to reveal pale, slim legs instead of his bright purple tail.

Yugi cocked his head and wiggled his toes experimentally. Yami was relieved when he let out an amused giggle and nuzzled against Yami happily. Solomon waved goodbye and Yugi waved back, then became distracted by the fact that his fingers were no longer webbed.

Yami chuckled and kissed Yugi's forehead, carrying him up the hill to his house. He set Yugi down on the bed and found a cloth to dry him off. "What do you think?" Yugi asked. He looked incredibly nervous, as though he were afraid Yami would stop loving him now that he had legs.

Yami sat down on the bed and sat Yugi across his lap. He ran his fingertips over Yugi's smooth thigh, making Yugi's breath hitch a little bit. He placed his other hand around Yugi's neck, where his gills used to be and stroked his thumb against the downy skin there. Yugi shivered slightly, eyes closing as he leaned into Yami's touches.

"You're beautiful." Yami whispered, kissing his forehead. Yugi's gorgeous smile made his heart sing with joy.

~~~~~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~&~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~(~~~~~~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~&~~~~~~~~~~~~

Star: Review plz!


	10. Chapter 10

Star: I own nothing!

Yami woke up with Yugi curled in his arms, fast asleep and just as beautiful as he'd been the day before. He ran his fingertips lightly over Yugi's thigh, making the smaller boy twitch and murmur in his sleep. The bed was rather small for the two of them, but Yami didn't mind seeing as it forced them to sleep practically on top of each other. He would think about making a bigger bed frame for the future though.

Yugi stirred against him and opened his eyes, blinking slowly. "Good morning, Little One." Yugi blinked a couple more times and then sat up quickly, grabbing at his legs. His beautiful smile crossed his face as he looked back at Yami.

"I was afraid it had all been a dream." He murmured. Yami rubbed his hand over Yugi's thigh and nuzzled his neck where his gills had been. "Oh! That feels nice still." Yugi murmured, red-faced.

"You are so very sensitive, Yugi." Yami commented. "It's sweet." He kissed his neck.

"It's probably because that's where my gills were." Yugi suggested, squirming a little in Yami's grip. "Can we get breakfast now?"

"Of course." Yami stood up and held out his hands to Yugi. Yugi placed his feet on the floor and grasped Yami's hands. Yami pulled him to his feet. Yugi yipped and tipped forward, Yami catching before he could fall. "We'll take it slowly, just hold onto me. One foot at a time, alright?" Yugi nodded, gripping Yami's hands like a lifeline.

Yami stepped backwards and Yugi followed, shuffling his feet, tottering unsteadily. Yugi sighed when he sat down. "I didn't think walking would be so hard." He commented as Yami handed him a slice of bread and some grapes.

"Your body's not used to the motion Little One." Yami told him. "It's like me when I first started swimming, remember?" Yugi chuckled in remembrance.

"I'm going to need to get a job, aren't I?" Yugi asked.

"Well, currently I'm making enough to support us both and then some, but if you feel like you'd be bored staying here all day, we can think of something." Yami said. "You are a Healer, there's always need for those."

"Yes, but my power is only to be used in emergencies, and I don't know the remedies that humans have." Yugi told him.

"So we'll apprentice you to a healer." Yami said. "I've gotten commissions from one, I can ask her if she's willing to take on an apprentice or if she knows someone who is, but right now I think we need to focus on teaching you to walk. For now you can keep me company while I work."

%&%&%&%

"It is good to see you, my King." Syrus said, smiling up at the Pharaoh. "It has been far too long since you last visited."

"It has Syrus." The King agreed, smiling. The smile didn't quite banish the old sadness from his eyes. The Pharaoh had never been the same after his son had disappeared all those years ago. "This appears to be a new desk, if I am not mistaken." The Pharaoh commented, running his fingers over the carvings in the wood. Syrus lit up.

"Yes it is, done by our new carpenter in the city, his name is Yami and he is quite the artist as you can see." Syrus said cheerfully. "Have you seen the masts around here? That's his work too."

"He sounds like someone I'd like to meet." The Pharaoh commented. Syrus smiled again.

"Good, good, let's go see him then." He suggested. The Pharaoh nodded and followed him out into the bright daylight. "He's a very interesting young man, but I'll let him tell you about himself." Syrus said as they walked towards Yami's small home. "He's been courting a merman too, I wonder how that's going to wind up."

"A merman?" The King said with interest. "That's right, you have a kingdom of theirs below the surface here." Syrus nodded his head and then grinned when he saw the sign up on Yami's shop.

"Oh good, he's in!" He cheered. The Pharaoh looked at the sign with interest, obviously noting the broken chain that was Yami's signature. Syrus peeked inside and found Yami with his head down, working on another large chest. Another boy, with hair similar to Yami's but pale skinned with stunning violet eyes was sitting close to him, talking.

"Ah, you must be Yugi." The young man looked up and smiled at him. "Yami, may I introduce the King of Egypt, my Pharaoh-" Syrus trailed off as he turned to look at the king. The Pharaoh had gone a disturbingly pale shade and he was staring at Yami as though he'd seen a ghost.

"Atem?" He croaked out. Syrus blinked rapidly a couple times. Atem? Wasn't that the name of his lost son? Yami stared at the Pharaoh blankly. "Atem is that really you?"

"I'm not certain what you are talking about my king, my name is Yami." Yami answered, though his voice held a tremor of uncertainty.

"No." The king lurched forward and Yami, or was it Atem, scrambled back, pushing himself up against the wall and holding his tool out in front of him as a weapon. "Atem, it's me."

"I don't know you, Pharaoh." Yami replied. "My name is Yami."

"No, you are my son, you are a prince!" The Pharaoh cried desperately. "Why do you deny this?!"

Yami was shaking his head, looking as though he was close to panicking. Syrus laid a hand on the Pharaoh's arm. "Please, my king, I think he needs a moment, I will explain." The Pharaoh allowed himself to be led outside.

"What is going on?" He demanded.

"I did not know, my king." Syrus said gravely. "He came to us not six moons ago, nothing to his name. Said he'd been a slave and wanted to make a fresh start, I didn't see… he looked like any other man."

"But why is he denying me?" The Pharaoh asked, sounding lost.

"He does not remember you." Syrus explained. "he remembers nothing of his life past eight years ago… which was when your son disappeared." He realized.

"He doesn't remember…" The Pharaoh repeated, rubbing at his face. "Gods, what do I do?"

"Talk to him, my king?" Syrus suggested.

"He obviously does not want that." The king pointed out bitterly.

"You frightened him." Syrus said. "Think about it, he's been a slave for as long as you remember, now you are telling him he is a prince, forgive me but I think anyone would have a crisis." The Pharaoh sighed and nodded his head. Syrus moved back to the house and found the boy, Yugi, holding Yami in his arms. "Yami, will you speak to him? I explained about your memory." Yami looked up at Yugi.

"Go on, he's so lost." The former merman murmured. Yami let out a shuddering sigh and got up, hands clenched at his sides, and went outside to face the Pharaoh.

%&%&%&%

Yami's thoughts were running wild. How could he, of all people, be a prince? There must have been some mistake, he would have to explain that to the Pharaoh. The Pharaoh looked up as he stepped outside and the look of grief and longing in his eyes made Yami's heart squeeze painfully.

"I think there has been some mistake, my king." Yami said softly.

"No, there can be no mistake, I know my son's face." The Pharaoh replied, his voice choked. "I can prove… you have two moles on your left buttock, spaced less than a finger's length apart. We used to call them your snake bites."

"I do have those moles." Yami said, stunned. His world was reeling and he didn't like where it was going. "But…"

"You are my son." The Pharaoh insisted. Yami closed his eyes as a headache formed between his eyes. It could be true, it probably was, but he wasn't the same anymore.

"I cannot be what you want me to be. I am not the same child that was stolen from you, I remember none of that. I cannot be a Pharaoh, I am just a carpenter."

"I don't care." The Pharaoh said bluntly. "That's not what I want from you." Yami kept himself from jerking away when the Pharaoh cupped his face and made him look at him. "I gave up hope of ever seeing you again, I gave up hope that you were alive." The Pharaoh's eyes were filled with tears. "Now I know you are alive, it does not matter to me that you cannot remember, we can start over, learn each other again."

"I gave up ever knowing who I'd been, I told myself I was content, and I believed it." Yami told him. "I don't know what to do. I don't know you, but you hold all the answers, I am content here and yet how do I turn you away? I need to think, I need a chance to think about all this and I need to get back to work, I have deadlines." He was babbling, but he couldn't seem to make himself stop.

"I understand." The Pharaoh said, taking a step back. "I will come back in the morning, will that suit you?"

"Yes, that will be fine." Yami said. The Pharaoh made to move forward, but decided against it and strode away. Once the sound of his and Syrus' footsteps had faded Yami sank to his knees and buried his face in his hands, sobbing softly.

~~~~~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~&~~~~~~~~~~~~~(~~~~~~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~&~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Star: Review plz!


	11. Chapter 11

Star: I own nothing!

Yugi could see his lover kneeling on the grass, having an emotional breakdown. He had to get to him. He pushed himself away from the wall of the house and tottered unsteadily forward. A couple times he lost his balance, but he refused to give up and finally sank to his knees beside Yami, whispering words of comfort to his distraught beloved.

"I'm sorry." Yami mumbled when he'd stopped crying. "I don't mean to act so weak-"

"Hush, you're not weak." Yugi told him. "You're allowed to feel the way you feel, Yami."

"I don't know what to do about this." Yami admitted softly.

"What do you want to do?" Yugi asked.

"That's just it, my mind's being pulled in all different directions." Yami sighed, rubbing at his temple. "There's a part of me that wants to go with him, that wants to know, but at the same time… what if the people who I used to know, what if all they see is the ghost and not me, do you understand?"

"You're worried you'll be constantly treated like someone else, and that they'll expect you to be someone else." Yugi guessed.

"Exactly." Yami whispered. "I don't know if I can be what he wants me to be, but it hurts thinking about turning him away completely."

"You're scared of giving up this life, the life you know is good, for something you don't know." Yugi said.

"Right again." Yami said, faintly smiling. "I'm scared of knowing, but I want to know. What do you think?"

"I think you should give things a chance." Yugi replied. "He gave up on ever finding you and now he's probably frantic to make sure you don't disappear again. Can you put him through more pain?"

"I'm selfish, just thinking about how I feel in all this." Yami groaned. "But his son is essentially dead, the one he knew anyways. I don't think there's a way to get that person back, I've tried for years to remember anything and I just can't. I just don't know if he can be satisfied with the man I've become."

"I don't see why not." Yugi said. "You can still hold your head high after years of slavery, you've made your own successful business and you've managed to make a merman prince fall in love with you."

"Well, when you say it like that…" Yami chuckled. "I just… I'm happy here, but at the same time I feel this pull inside me, like this isn't where I really belong. And then there's you. I can't just think about what I want, what about you?"

"Yami, I was going to go far from home anyways." Yugi reminded him. "As long as I'm with you, I'll be fine."

"You're a much better person than I am." Yami commented, nuzzling his neck. Yugi rolled his eyes, but didn't argue, allowing his lover to comfort himself in his embrace.

%&%&%&%

Yami was deep in his work when the polite cough came. It made him jerk, even though it was rather quiet, and he sliced open his hand. "Damn it!" He swore, making sure he wouldn't get blood on his work, it was so hard to get blood out of wood. He lifted his head to glare at whoever had interrupted him, but the glare faltered when he saw it was the Pharaoh.

"My apologies." The Pharaoh said.

"It's fine, I've gotten worse." Yami grumbled, getting up to find a strip of bandage to place over his hand.

"That happen often?" The Pharaoh asked after a moment of awkward silence.

"Often enough, I work with sharp tools, there's always a risk." He displayed his hands, palm up so that the king could see the deep callouses, scars and nicks on them. "You can always tell a man's work by his hands. I've definitely got carpenter hands."

"The marks of an artist." The Pharaoh murmured, gazing at Yami's work with appreciation. "You're a fine man, Ate… Yami. Forgive me, I am trying."

"That's just it right there, can you look at me without seeing the child you lost or if I go with you will I forever be compared to him and found wanting?" Yami asked. The Pharaoh stared at him for a long moment, considering. Yami noticed then that their eyes were the exact same shade and shape. Well, there was further proof.

"I will not lie when I say I will forget that you do not remember what your life was before, but I will not hold that against you, any more than the other people who have missed you will." The Pharaoh said. "But even if you did remember, you would still be much different today than you were then, you were only a child after all, and now you are a man. We would be re-acquainting ourselves with each other no matter what. This is just a little bit harder."

"What if I asked you to leave me alone? Would you do that?" Yami asked. It was harsh of him, but he needed to test. The Pharaoh's face crumbled in sorrow, but Yami did not waver.

"I would, if that is what you wanted." He finally answered and slid to his knees, beseeching Yami. "Please, do not ask that of me. I lost you once, I do not think my soul could bear it a second time."

"I will not." Yami answered. "Forgive me, I had to know." The Pharaoh, his father, sagged in relief.

"I fear for your safety if you stayed here. Word spreads quickly and all it takes is one slip. Whoever kidnapped you those years ago may still be out there." The Pharaoh, father, said.

"Would I really be any safer in the palace?" Yami asked, referring to the fact that he had been kidnapped.

"We were not there when you disappeared." His father told him. "You're vulnerable out here, and anyone who wishes to harm you may go after your lover." Yami stiffened and he growled aloud at the thought, no one touched his Yugi.

"I had not considered that." Yami admitted, flipping his knife over in his hands. "And it would be far too easy for someone to sneak up on us here." His father nodded. Yami sighed.

"I'm sorry." Yami waved off the apology.

"I think I would have come to the same outcome anyways. I've been wanting to know where I came from ever since I woke up without my memories. This lure is too tempting for me to pass up, even knowing that I might not like what I find." Yami admitted, rubbing at his head. "It's still so absurd to me, thinking that I am a prince. I'm no prince."

"You do not need to be a prince." The Pharaoh replied. "I know this is overwhelming, but all I am asking, begging you for, is a chance to regain what we both have lost."

"Family." Yami whispered. "I need time." The Pharaoh, his father, looking confused and crestfallen. "I run a business, I have customers. Even if I stopped taking commissions now I still need to finish what I have started."

"An honourable man." The pharaoh, Father, murmured.

"Yes, at best it would take me…" Yami calculated in his head. "Two moons."

"And that gives you time to wrap your head around this." His father said. "Then I will come when the moon has gone through its cycle twice."

"If by that time I have changed my mind, will you accept that decision?" Yami demanded. The Pharaoh, his father, shut his eyes as though in pain.

"I would ask that I be allowed to visit." He said slowly. "Do not ask me to abandon you again, do not ask that of me." Yami nodded stiffly. "Two moons then." The Pharaoh sighed. "Well, I have waited more than eight years, a little more waiting will not hurt. Would it be an imposition of me to ask to stay for a little while longer, and perhaps spend some time with you and your lover?"

"It is nearing lunch time anyways." Yami sighed, stretching stiff muscles. "I prefer not to speak about my time as a slave." He warned. "I do not know if the life of a carpenter is much interesting to a king."

"You would be surprised, my son."

My son. How often he'd wished to hear those words spoken to him, to know that someone, once, had loved him, had held him, had wanted to watch him grow up. He'd given up ever hearing those words, and now he was hearing them from the mouth of a king. It was almost too much for Yami to handle, but he hid his fears and his hopes, knowing that anything could happen in the space of two months.

~~~~~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~&~~~~~~~~~~~~~(~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~~~~&~~~~~~~~~~~~

Star: Review plz!


	12. Chapter 12

Star: I own nothing!

Seth wasn't sure why the Pharaoh, his uncle, was taking this trip. He'd gone to this city not two moons back and it wasn't as though it were a large, major city. He was starting to think the rumours that his uncle had lost his mind were true; after all he'd told the servants to set up the lost prince's room to be used.

He shared a worried glance with his father as they headed to the outskirts of the city. Had the king really finally cracked? The Pharaoh called a halt outside a small house and beckoned for Seth and his father to dismount and follow him. He noticed a sign on the side of the house that simply had a carving of a broken chain on it.

"Hello?" His uncle called, peering into the house.

"Your timing is impeccable." A deep, firm voice said from within. "I'd just sent off my last commission this morning."

"Then you have decided to come?" The Pharaoh asked, sounding eager.

"We have." The voice sounded slightly reluctant, and somehow familiar to Seth. His uncle stepped back as another man stepped out into the sun. Seth gasped in surprise.

"Atem?" He choked out. His cousin was alive. The man looked at him, ruby red eyes showing no recognition. Was it not Atem, then? How could anyone else look exactly like him? Of course, this was a man and not the baby-faced child that he'd grown up with, but there could be no one else. Which was proven wrong when another young male, paler skinned but the first man's near-perfect double, came out to see what the commotion was.

"Ate… Yami, forgive me." The Pharaoh said. "May I introduce my brother, high priest Ahknaden, and his son Seth, your uncle and cousin." The Pharaoh turned to face Seth. "I'm afraid he doesn't remember anything from before he was taken from us, he asks that we call him Yami for the time being."

"You don't remember?" Seth's father said, sounding odd. Atem, no, Yami, shook his head.

"Great, Bakura will have a field day with him." Seth muttered, folding his arms across his chest.

"I'm certain Ryou can keep him in line." The Pharaoh said. "Are you ready to go, my son?"

"Were we going right away?" Atem…Yami asked.

"As soon as we can." The Pharaoh said. Yami turned his head, looking around and then sighed deeply.

"Yugi, you should go say goodbye." Yami said, indicating the other. "We'll need some time."

"Of course." The Pharaoh said. Yami and Yugi walked down to the sea.

"What are they doing?" Seth's father asked.

"Calling on Yugi's family, I assume."

%&%&%&%

Yami waded out to where Yugi already was. Seth's face had brought no recollections to him, although he'd expected that. He couldn't explain why, but he felt a little uneasy about Ahknaden, his uncle. He trusted his instincts, so he decided to steer clear of the high priest for the time being.

It wasn't long before five heads popped out of the water, Yugi's grandfather, his brothers and one more who he assumed was Yusei's betrothed, Jack. Jack had spiked blonde hair, indigo coloured eyes and a white tail.

"We're going now." Yugi said softly, obviously holding back tears. His brothers mobbed him, hugging and chattering, wringing out promises that Yugi would visit them when he could. Solomon swam to Yami and Yami bowed his head.

"You take care of my grandson, you hear?" The old king said, placing his hands on Yami's shoulders.

"I will." Yami promised. He was then dunked underwater by Jaden and surrounded by Yugi's brothers.

"Anything happens to Yugi and we're coming for your head." Jaden threatened.

"Although I'm sure it will not come to that, you'd better guard Yugi with your life." Yusei added.

"I swear to you." Yami replied. "Looks like you were right about me having something royal about me." Yusei smiled slightly.

"I wish you all the best." Yusei bowed his head to Yami and Yami did the same. Yugi was hugging his grandfather tight. Solomon gently untangled himself from Yugi's embrace and kissed his forehead.

"Go well, both of you." He said. As one the mermen sank beneath the waves. Yugi let out a little sob when they'd gone and Yami held him close, kissing his forehead gently.

"Come on, it's time to go." Yami said gently, taking Yugi's hand and leading him out of the water. He ignored the stares they were getting and went inside the house for their packs. Yami paused just outside and took down his sign, stowing it away in his pack.

"Are you ready to go, my son?" The Pharaoh, his father, asked.

"Yes, we're ready." Yami sighed. "As ready as we will ever be." His father laid a hand on his shoulder.

"Come, we will mount up." Yami found himself nose to snout with a rather large horse. He took a step back, eying the animal dubiously.

"You act as though you've never ridden before." Seth commented.

"Slaves don't ride horses, they walk behind them." Yami quoted through clenched teeth. Yugi rubbed his back, silently asking him to calm down. "To my knowledge I have never ridden, I'm not sure I like the prospect of it."

"Can't be any harder than whale riding." Yugi commented, holding out his hand for the beast to sniff.

"How do you ride a whale?" Yami asked.

"You grab onto their dorsal fin and hold on." Yugi answered. "Dolphins are the best because they like to play and see how long you can hold on while they do tricks."

"I should hope this beast doesn't do tricks." Yami muttered. The beast in question blew air out of its nostrils, as though it understood him and was offended.

"This is Pond, she is as gentle-tempered a horse as you would like." His father said, patting Pond's side. "We are not riding far, just to the Nile and then we will take a boat. One of us will lead Pond so that you do not have to worry about leading her."

"If you say so." Yami replied dubiously. "Oh, Yugi." He pulled a cloak from his pack and wrapped it around Yugi's shoulders. "He burns so easily." He explained to his bemused father.

"I am not surprised, with such pale skin." Yugi blushed bright red. "Though I imagine that has to do with being born an underwater dweller."

"Yes, yes, we do not have all day." Seth grumbled.

"Manners, nephew." Yami's father murmured, stroking his beard thoughtfully. He gently pulled on Pond's bridle until the horse was kneeling on the knees of her forelegs. "It will be easier to mount up this way."

Yami straddled the horse with as much dignity as he could, certain he would fall off any second. Once he was settled Yugi sat down in front of him and he wrapped one arm around his lover's waist, kissing the nape of his neck. Pond stood back up and Yami tightened his grip around Yugi, closing his eyes and concentrating on not tipping over.

"There you are, just don't lean from side to side and you'll be alright." His father said with a smile. Yami heard a snort from Seth and turned to glare at the blue-eyed man. He received a cool stare in return. He couldn't tell what his cousin was thinking, and wondered if Seth feared that Yami would try to take the throne away from him.

Yami had no intention of ruling anything. He couldn't even read or write, for Ra's sake, what good would he be as a king? He knew the toils of a slave and the artistry of carpentry; that was all. It was not enough to run a kingdom. Seth could have it; Yami did not want that burden on his shoulders.

"What are you thinking of?" Yugi asked as they got going.

"How blasted uncomfortable these beasts must be to ride when they run." Yami answered, hoping for a smile. Yugi giggled at him.

"You are brooding again, I can feel it, stop it." Yugi chided.

"Yes, my love. I live only to serve you." Yugi laughed again, the bright, happy sound lifting Yami's spirits for the moment. He had Yugi with him, he had his wits, he could weather anything that came.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~&~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~(~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~~~~&~~~~~~~~~~

Star: Review plz!


	13. Chapter 13

Star: I own nothing!

Yami discovered almost immediately when they set out on the barge down the Nile that Yugi suffered from seasickness. It had been somewhat amusing for a moment, until Yami realized just how miserable his lover felt. He was currently sitting with his back against the side of the boat, Yugi curled against him, face buried in his shirt. He was rubbing Yugi's thigh with one hand and had the other gently encircling his neck, trying to sooth his lover.

A shadow fell over them and Yami looked up as Seth knelt down in front of them, holding something in his hand. "One of my betrothed gets quite seasick, I always carry some of this as it soothes his stomach." He explained, his voice a touch gentler than it had before. Yami eyed the small green square with suspicion. "Do I look like a fool to you?" Seth demanded at his look.

"I do not know, do you?" Yami snapped in reply. A smirk worked its way across Seth's face.

"Well, your temper remains the same." He commented, breaking a small piece off the square and eating it himself. "You see?" Yami took the square.

"Come on Yugi, eat this." He said, pressing the square to Yugi's lips.

"Don't want to." Yugi protested, burying his face against Yami again.

"It will make you feel better." Yami coaxed. "For me, Little One?" Yugi relented and opened his mouth, grimacing slightly at the taste of the little square and then burying his face once more in Yami's chest. "You said one of your betrothed, would you explain?"

Seth sat down in a more comfortable position and removed his tall headdress, raking fingers through straight dark hair that fell into his eyes. "It was determined when I was young that my match for a wedded partner was Jonouchi, a lesser prince in the Eastern land. He and I disagreed on the match for many years, but we seem to have grown on each other. When it was clear that you didn't seem to be coming back, we then had to think about securing an heir of my lineage. Jonouchi, my Puppy, and I needed to agree upon a third, female, party into our union. It was only to be for political purposes, but we found we both greatly liked the person we chose. I don't suppose you've ever heard of Lady Kisara?"

"The Dragon Priestess?" Yami asked. "She is your second?" Seth nodded. "Impressive." Seth smirked smugly. "Yugi is a prince of the merfolk."

"Still trying to one-up me, are you?" Seth huffed, sounding annoyed. Yami gave him a blank look. "Right, you really don't remember anything, do you?"

"I remember small, unimportant things like the names of the Egyptian stars, but nothing personal." Yami replied.

"So you could be lying, in order to claim the throne." Seth said suspiciously.

"Ask the Pharaoh, I did all I could to try and convince him I wasn't who he thought I was, which died when he knew about the moles on my behind."

"Snake bites." Seth mumbled. Yami bristled slightly, but he had no idea why. "Your reaction is the same to that."

"I'm assuming it was used to tease me." Yami said stiffly. Seth smirked again.

"So you do not want to be ruler?" He asked slowly.

"What do I know of ruling?" Yami demanded. "I am a carpenter, I was a slave. I know the work of my hands, not politics, I can't even read or write, what good would I be on a throne?"

"Yet you chose to come back with us." Seth pointed out.

"I could not have completely rebuked my father, even if I did not remember him, I did not want his pain on my soul." Yami explained. "Not to mention if he recognized me someone else could and my lover and I might have found ourselves in danger. Your palace offers protections I cannot give. So, it is with some reluctance that we have left our home."

"Be nice." Yugi mumbled against him.

"And if I am not?" Yami inquired. "Do you feel better?" Yugi nodded his head. "Then I must thank you for your help." Yami told Seth.

"It surprises me that a former merman would have seasickness." Seth commented. Yugi lifted his head and glared at the taller man.

"We swim beneath the waves, where their motion does not affect the waters, we do not bounce like this infernal vessel." He replied, as haughty as any nobleman that Yami had encountered. Yami laughed and kissed Yugi's forehead. Yugi pouted at him.

"Don't be like that." Yami said, kissing the tip of his nose and rubbing his thigh gently. "You're adorable."

"I am not." Yugi muttered petulantly.

"You are." Yami insisted, smiling broadening into a grin when Yugi pinched his side in retaliation. "I am blessed." He told Seth. "I would have been perfectly happy to live out my life as a carpenter by the sea."

"Yet you will not, for the reasons you gave." Seth said.

"And for my own selfish desire to know who I once was." Yami said.

"It's not selfish, everyone wants to know who they are." Yugi protested. He sat up and looked at Seth. "Thank you, I feel much better." Seth made a noncommittal noise in reply. "Your father doesn't look too happy." Yugi commented.

Yami looked over at Ahknaden, who seemed to be arguing with his father about something. Yami noticed the stubborn set of his father's mouth and his lips quirked upward slightly, it was exactly how he looked when he was being stubborn.

"He is concerned that the Pharaoh has been misled." Seth said quietly.

"And what do you think?" Yami asked with interest. Seth eyed him critically.

"You've no intention for the crown, you do not hide your ignorance of politics and noble life, all of which would take years to impart to you in enough quantity for you to be eligible to rule." Seth said. "if this was simply a plot of yours to gain a wealthier life you would be far more eager to play the happy son to the Pharaoh, not to mention that a story of lost memory is laughably easy to find out." Seth paused. "You have some of his mannerisms, still. Little things, the tone of your voice, the proud posture, and even if you do not remember why you don't like the term snake bites, you reacted to it in the same way."

"So you believe me." Yami guessed.

"You may have once been Atem, and there is some of him in you, but you are a stranger to me now, though not entirely unwelcome." Seth said. "I've not seen my uncle's spirits so high in many a year."

"I only hope that he is not disappointed with what he finds in me." Yami murmured.

"I much doubt that. We'd given you up for dead, I think he'd take anything over that." Seth said with a shrug. "There are others that will be overjoyed to see you alive as well."

"I certainly hope there are no plans to present me to the whole kingdom." Yami said. "I do not want, and I do not need, more attention on me than I have now."

"I doubt that will happen." Seth replied. "The king will be paranoid about someone taking you away again, but you should speak to him. You've avoided doing so." Yami looked at Seth, seeing the canny intelligence in his eyes.

"I do not know what how, or what I could speak to him about." Yami said. "His stare still makes me uncomfortable and I feel I cannot give him what he wants."

"Hmm, you are no coward though, you did not turn and run when he came for you." Seth commented.

"You think that I could?" Yami demanded. "After years of not knowing, wondering, that I could just turn my back? Could you?"

"Hmph." Seth snorted in lieu of a proper answer. "Be wary in the palace, there will be those who seek to use you for their own gain."

"I am not a trusting man, you don't survive as a slave by trusting people in power." Yami answered tersely.

"Keep that attitude." Seth said. He turned as his father called him and then got up and left, leaving Yami and Yugi to think on what he'd told them.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~&~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~(~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~~&~~~~~~~~~~~~

Star: Review plz!


	14. Chapter 14

Star: I own nothing!

Yami felt intimidated, and he hated the feeling. They were coming up to the palace, and the sheer size and architecture of the structure took his breath away. He felt Yugi take his hand, just as astounded by the palace.

"Our home." His father said quietly, stealing up behind him.

"Perhaps yours." Yami replied. He swallowed thickly.

"You are nervous." His father sighed. "I am sorry."

"It is no fault of yours." Yugi said. "Yami is a humble man, it makes him uncomfortable to be around this much finery, he feels he doesn't belong." The Pharaoh nodded and then moved off at a call from Ahknaden. "I'm sorry Yami, he needed to know, and you're too proud to say such things on your own."

"I am not." Yami protested. Yugi gave him a look. "Perhaps I am."

"You'll be fine, Yami. Most people won't know who you are at first, which will give you time to adjust. Your father said you have friends here, they'll be able to help you."

"What if I can't be who they want?" Yami asked. "What if they hate me for looking like Atem and not being him?"

"If it comes to that, we run off in the middle of the night, don't look back." Yugi said. "Start over again, you and your wonderful hands." He took Yami's hands in his own. "You're an incredible man, Yami, and I know that everyone else will be able to see it too."

"You are far too optimistic." Yami said, pressing a kiss to Yugi's neck.

"You love me anyways." Yugi answered. Yami hummed in agreement. The boat settled against the dock that was the palace's private small harbour and they disembarked. Yami shivered as he walked between white stone pillars. He'd seen them before, in his dreams.

Yugi's hand closed around his again and he struggled to bring his turbulent emotions back under his control. They walked beside his father through the halls, drawing curious glances from servants and visiting nobles. Yami held his head high and favoured anyone who stared too long for his liking with a ferocious glare.

"Relax." Yugi admonished. "You're only drawing more attention to yourself."

"I hate being stared at." Yami growled.

"I know love, but you need to relax." Yugi insisted.

"We stick out like sore thumbs." Yami growled, looking down at his simple shirt and shenti.

"I'm sure that will be remedied." Yugi said.

"You're determined to prevent me from getting frustrated and leave, aren't you?" Yami demanded. Yugi smiled and nodded. The Pharaoh pushed open a set of ornate doors and gestured Yami and Yugi in. The room was large, with high ceilings and a balcony. The bed was massive, piled high with pillows. The room was mostly empty, the large desk had a Senet board on it.

"I removed the old toys and possessions from here a few years ago, but I don't think they would have been much use to you anyways." His father stated.

"This is bigger than my whole house." Yami commented, staring around. "What am I to do with all this space?"

"I wonder the same thing sometimes." His father sighed. "Your room is next to mine, and through that other door you see is your private bathing quarters."

"I do not want servants attempting to bathe Yugi or I." Yami said firmly. "Touch is a lot more intimate between merfolk than it is with humans."

"I understand, and you are not used to having people all over you." His father said.

"Am I that transparent?" Yami asked Yugi. Yugi shrugged slightly, smiling. "I'd rather this be a servant-free area completely."

"I assumed so." His father said. "You will need to see a seamstress, probably right away."

"Why?" Yami asked.

"It would be best if people do not think you are a servant and for that you need proper clothing. Nothing you used to own will fit you anymore." The Pharaoh explained.

"Nothing extravagant." Yami said.

"They must be able to tell you're a noble." The Pharaoh reminded him. Yami grumbled, but didn't protest. "I know that this is a lot to take in right now, but certain things must be done to ensure your safety."

"Of course." Yami sighed. "I will do my best to take this in stride, but this is all very unfamiliar to me, I feel as though I should in the kitchens or something."

"It will pass." The Pharaoh assured him, placing a gentle hand on his shoulder. "We should see Mai right away, the less you are seen in common clothes, the better for you. Not everyone is kind to servants, though we try our best to make sure the people who work for us feel safe. Now, come."

Yami and Yugi followed him out, Yami carefully taking note of the route they took, in order to remember the way back to their room. Mai turned out to be a lightly tanned, curvaceous blonde with violet eyes. "Well, sugar, let's get you measured out, off with your clothes." She declared, grabbing Yami by the arm.

"Excuse me?" Yami asked.

"Honey, how am I supposed to take measurements with your clothes on?" Mai demanded, hands on your hips. "Trust me, it's nothing I haven't seen before, sweet-pea." Yami reluctantly took off his clothes.

%&%&%&%

Yugi watched Yami get poked and prodded by Mai for a few moments before his stomach reminded him loudly that he'd not eaten much since they'd gotten on the boat, thanks to his rolling stomach. "Yami, I'm going to find something to eat."

"Be careful." Yami warned.

"I can defend myself if need be." Yugi replied.

"Still…" Yami replied.

"I will be careful." Yugi said, smiling at Yami's protectiveness. He left the room and headed down the hallways. The kitchen would be on the lower level, he knew that. He was just past walking down the stairs when someone grabbed his arm.

"Ah good, a servant boy, and a pretty one at that." The heavyset man was clearly noble, but carried his bulk with much less grace than Syrus. He had oiled hair and had oiled his mustache and a smile that reminded Yugi too much of a shark. "You will come back to my room now, I am in need of some relief."

"I am not a servant." Yugi said, tugging his arm away. The man's face twisted in a scowl and he grabbed Yugi again, hard enough to make him squeak in pain. Yugi immediately began to think of the defensive spells they used to fend off attacking sharks.

"The hell you aren't, you little bitch, now walk before I drag you." The noble growled. Yugi had almost completed the spell when another voice rang out

"Let him go!"

"This is no business of yours." The man said angrily, turning to face the speaker. When he did his eyes widened and he bowed his head. "My apologies, Prince Jonouchi, I did not mean any respect, but this boy refuses to listen to me and he is claiming he isn't a servant."

"Even if he is a servant, palace servants aren't to be ordered to bed with anyone, they are only to go of their own free will and you know that." The newcomer was fairly young, his skin tanned a light golden colour, his messy hair blonde and his eyes the colour of dark honey. "Now get out of here, before I decide to take it out of your hide."

The man scurried away and Yugi breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank you, Prince Jonouchi." He murmured.

"Just Jonouchi's fine, thanks." Jonouchi replied. "And who might you be?"

"I'm Yugi, third prince of the Southern Mediterranean kingdom." Yugi replied. Jonouchi tilted his head at him. "I was a merman, the kingdom is under the sea."

"Really? No fooling?" Jonouchi smiled. "I knew about merfolk, but I didn't know they had kingdoms. Yugi, that's an eastern name though, isn't it?"

"My mother was from the Eastern seas." Yugi explained. "Will you come with me back to my lover? I think I'm a little lost now and I'm a little nervous about walking on my own."

"Sure, where is he?"

"Getting fitted for clothes by Mai." Jonouchi nodded and led Yugi up the stairs, asking questions about merfolk curiously. They made it back to Mai's workshop, where Yami was arguing about jewellery with Mai. He took one look at Yugi and ran to him.

"What happened?" He demanded.

"One of the nobles was trying to force him to bed with him." Jonouchi growled. "One of the emissaries from Rome, I think."

"I will have to have a talk with them." The Pharaoh all but growled.

"You're alright?" Yami asked anxiously.

"If Jonouchi hadn't come along I would have used the spells we use on sharks, so I would have been fine, but they're not nice spells and I'd rather not use them on people." Yugi said. "I'm fine, Yami, really."

"Thank you, Jonouchi, for your help." The Pharaoh was saying.

"No problem, your Majesty." Jonouchi said. "I'll see you around?" He asked Yugi hopefully.

"Yes." Yugi agreed, smiling. Jonouchi grinned happily and left the room, practically bouncing in excitement.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~&~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~(~~~~~~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~~~~~&~~~~~~~~~~~~

Star: Review plz!


	15. Chapter 15

Star: I own nothing!

"Jewellery, unbelievable." Yami muttered, looking down at his hands. There were rings on them, golden and jewelled. They were gaudy things in his opinion.

"At least you talked her out of the head piece." Yugi giggled. They were both wearing a white shenti and shirt, with a gold belt around their waists with a blue sash hanging down in front and back. They had gold bands around their upper arms. Yami had protested the wrist bands and anything around his neck; they reminded him too much of chains and slave collars. Yugi had no such qualms.

"Yes, there is that." Yami agreed with a sigh. A sudden squeal had him looking around for an attack. He was knocked clean off his feet, something grabbing around his waist with nearly crushing force. He struggled, but heard Yugi laugh, so he relaxed and looked up at the person who had tackled him.

"Atem!" The brown-haired girl with lively brown eyes said, hugging Yami tightly around the neck. "You're alive, I can't believe it."

"Mana let the man breathe." A man admonished. Mana got up and the man, who was wearing the garb of a magician and had dark brown eyes, bowed to Yami. "Forgive me, my prince."

"Don't do that." The words came out before Yami could stop them. "I'm no prince." The man looked confused. "Forgive me, what is your name?"

"You… you do not know my name?" The man asked, starting to look dejected.

"I remember nothing past eight and a half years ago." Yami said. "My name is Yami now, the name Atem just doesn't… fit."

"You don't remember us?" Mana asked. "The stiff old man is Mahad, he's my teacher, I'm a magician's apprentice."

"So Atem really is gone then." Mahad said, voice heavy with disappointment.

"As you knew him, yes." Yami said. "But I am still here, and I want to know about my past. Right now I could really use some friends, can you do that for me?"

"I can!" Mana said cheerfully. She grabbed his hand, shaking it. "Nice to meet you, Yami, wow, you've got rough hands."

"I'm a carpenter." Yami said with a laugh. "Before that I was a slave, there is much that has happened in my life since I was taken from you."

"A slave?" Mana gasped, eyes wide. "Oh that's horrible."

"It's a fate shared by many." Yami said, frowning slightly.

"It's horrible for everyone." Mana said, pouting. "Hey, who are you?" She asked Yugi, who was kind of hiding behind Yami.

"This is Yugi, my beloved." Yami said, drawing Yugi forward and placing a hand around his waist.

"You're cute." Mana giggled. "Where are you from?"

"I was a merman, I lived in the Mediterranean." Yugi said. "I met Yami after he nearly drowned."

"It was a bit more complicated than that." Yami protested as Mana giggled. "I was trying to catch a fish and he got in the way, so I went headfirst into the water. Unfortunately I didn't know how to swim at the time, so Yugi had to rescue me."

"And so began the love story." Mana guessed. "That's adorable."

"Mana, you have lessons." Mahad said softly.

"Oh, but…" Mahad gave her a stern look.

"Until you can cast a spell without turning me colours you cannot shirk on your learning." Mahad said. Mana sighed and looked at them.

"I still have issues with getting my magic to do what I want." Mana said. "Goodbye, we'll see you later!" She skipped after Mahad.

"She's friendly." Yugi observed.

"Mahad seems a little aloof." Yami replied.

"He's not quite sure how to deal with this, I think. You must have been close to him before." Yugi observed. "Give him time."

"Come on, then, let's go see if we can't find you something to eat."

%&%&%&%

Yami woke up in the middle of the night, senses on high alert, with no idea why. He kept his breathing even, maintaining the illusion of sleep, while his senses were on high alert, trying to find whatever had woken him. He then heard it, the minute shift of cloth that was not him or his lover who was currently curled up next to him.

Yami shifted, still pantomiming sleep and slid one hand under his pillow, closing his fingers around the knife he kept there and waited. Whoever was in their room moved closer and closer to the bed. Suddenly the bed dipped a bit under the weight of someone and Yami could sense someone leaning over him.

He moved then, striking upwards and throwing his weight onto his attacker, tackling him off the bed. He wound up on top of the other man, knife at his throat. His attacker just grinned up at him, lavender eyes oddly bright in his tanned face, the double-notched scar running from his left eye down his cheek giving him a fearsome appearance. A mess of shockingly white hair topped his head.

"Now I know we used to fight like dogs, but don't you think a knife is a little excessive for an early wake-up call?" The man drawled.

"Who are you?" Yami demanded. The man looked startled.

"That's funny, Atem, real funny. Go missing for years and now you're making jokes."

"He's not joking, he can't remember anything from beyond eight and a half years ago." Yugi explained sleepily from the bed.

"You don't remember…" The man repeated slowly. "I'd make fun of you but you have a knife at my throat, so I'm Bakura, your second cousin, earned the name Thief King as a child for my exploits, of which you were often my victim."

"Yugi, can you go get a guard?" Yami asked. "I'd rather have your story confirmed before I release you."

"You sure you're Atem? He never would have thought about that." Bakura asked, peering up at Yami.

"My name is Yami now." Yami said shortly. "Atem is gone."

"Eh, he was a brat anyways." Bakura said with a shrug. "Never did do anything about my tricks except try to punch me or whine to his father. Hopefully you're a bit more fun."

Yugi had come back with a guard. "Oh, yes, that is Lord Bakura, who also happens to be commander of the army." The guard grinned broadly. "You're supposed to be the best of us commander, you got knocked down by an amateur."

"Shut it boy, or I'll have you scrub out the latrines for a month." Bakura threatened. "Well, you gonna get off me now?" Yami got up, pulling the knife away. "Oof, you got a mean swing, ever had any formal training?"

"No, eight years of hard labour and a half of carpentry builds plenty of muscle though." Yami replied, flexing his hands. "However, I would like to learn, I've nothing to do with my time anymore and I think I will go mad if that continues."

"Yeah, you're definitely not entirely Atem anymore, he hated doing anything physical." Bakura chuckled. "Well, best get back to my own sleep before Ryou notices I'm missing. He worries way too much. Goodnight."

"Good night indeed." Yami muttered when the other man was gone.

"Bakura, I think your father mentioned him." Yugi commented, drawing Yami back to the ridiculously oversized bed.

"I think they also mentioned he liked playing games." Yami replied. "I'll have to watch what I believe around him."

"I think you'll be fine." Yugi said, yawning. "You're good at sniffing out bullshit, now come back to sleep."

"Yes, love."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~&~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~(~~~~~~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~~~~&~~~~~~~~~~

Star: Review plz!


	16. Chapter 16

Star: Names for the dragons came from Reizbar-Ookami, I am only borrowing with permission from her. I own nothing!

"The bed is too big." Yami complained, half awake with Yugi half on top of him. "I feel like you can get away from me."

"I like sleeping curled around you." Yugi replied sleepily. "The softness is nice." Yami thought about that for a moment and had to agree with that. He was used to sleeping in hard places, but the softness was very nice. "Almost felt like I was in the water again, getting cradled by it."

"Hmm, we should probably get up soon." Yami said.

"Probably." Yugi agreed, making no move to get off of him.

"You're going to have to get off me." Yami informed him, earning a giggle in reply. He tickled Yugi in the side, making Yugi squeal and curl up into a ball to try and get away. Yami was able to get up and kissed the tip of Yugi's nose. "Come on, get dressed and we can have breakfast."

A knock came at the door and Yami grumbled, standing up and wrapping a sheet around his lower half and shuffling towards the door. A servant girl was standing on the other side, holding a platter of breads, cheeses and fruit for him. Yami thanked her and took the platter, closing the door again and shuffling over to the bed again.

"Breakfast served to us, I think I could get to like this." Yami commented, sitting down. Yugi smiled and settled down beside Yami, resting his cheek on his shoulder. Yami picked up a grape and held it to Yugi's lips. Yugi opened his mouth and took it from Yami, smiling happily. Yugi broke up the bread and dipped a bit in honey, then held it out to Yami. They took turns feeding each other, which made breakfast take longer than usual, but neither of them had anything to do, so they could afford to waste a little time.

"We should ask about getting you apprenticed to a Healer." Yami said, leisurely getting dressed. "And I'd like for you to learn to fight as well. After what happened yesterday…"

"I understand. As much as I know about magic, I'd prefer not to have to kill a person." Yugi said. "I used to be able to fight, but legs are a lot different than a fin, you know?"

"I know." Yami replied. "We should also both learn to read and write."

"Hmm, yes." Yugi agreed. "Although I think my people's memory balls are a far more elegant solution."

"True, far less messy and far easier to take care of." Yami agreed. "Come, let's get out of here."

The two of them dressed and headed out of their room, arm in arm. They attracted a few curious glances as they walked, but most seemed content enough to write them off as more visiting nobles. Yami thought that it was best they kept it that way, though he knew people would start to whisper if they saw him and Yugi coming from the Prince's chambers, but then again, no one was to be down that way except the royal family and servants.

"Yugi!" A voice called and Yami looked up to see Jonouchi run over to them, Seth and a woman he guessed was Kisara, trailing after him. Kisara had even paler skin than Yugi, her long hair was snow white and her eyes were sky blue. She wore a white gown with shoulder and wrist braces. A small armour-scaled white dragon with blue eyes about the size of a cat perched on one wrist, while similarly sized armour-scaled black dragon with red eyes was settled on her shoulder, preening her hair.

"Hello, cousin." Seth said calmly. "May I introduce Lady Kisara, the Dragon Keeper. Kisara, my cousin, formerly known as Atem, now known as Yami, and his lover Yugi, prince of the Southern Mediterranean kingdom of the merfolk."

Kisara bowed her head and Yugi and Yami bowed theirs in return. "I've never seen a dragon up close." Yugi said. "Is it alright if I pet them?"

"Akai is the more friendly of the two." Kisara said quietly, letting the black dragon climb down her arm onto her hand. "Aoi can be a bit finicky about who she allows to touch her." The white dragon made a rude noise. "So far the only other one besides me that she is anything like cuddly with is Seth."

Yugi offered his hand to Akai, who sniffed it and then nuzzled at Yugi's hand with a friendly chirrup. "He is very friendly, loves people." Jonouchi said.

"Hmm, reminds me of someone I know." Seth commented, placing a hand around Jonouchi's waist. The blonde snorted.

"Well, if I'm Akai, that makes you Aoi, because you're just as snooty as she is." He replied.

"I am not snooty." Seth said stiffly. Kisara rolled her eyes and shook her head, obviously having heard this argument many times before.

"Uh-huh, who was always the one too haughty to come and dance with us in the rain?" Jonouchi queried.

"As future king…"

"The Pharaoh does it, every year." Jonouchi countered.

"He does?" Yami asked, surprised.

"Oh yeah… wait, did Seth just say you were the lost prince?" Jonouchi said, blinking rapidly.

"A little slow on the uptake, aren't you, Puppy?" Seth sighed. Jonouchi growled. Kisara sighed again.

"They do this a lot, I take it?" Yami said, rubbing a hand over Akai's scales, making the little dragon purr happily.

"They do, the upside is the sex after a full-blown argument is always fantastic." Kisara immediately slapped a hand over her mouth, turning bright red. "I'm sorry, I don't know why I said that."

"I've heard worse." Yami replied. "I've seen worse, slave barracks don't exactly offer much privacy."

"Slave barracks?" Kisara asked.

"I was a slave for eight years, then became a carpenter, I actually remember nothing of being a prince, which is why I have not been announced to the kingdom." Yami explained. "And why my name is Yami as opposed to Atem."

"I'm sorry." Kisara said.

"What happened has happened, I try not to dwell on it too much." Yami said. "From what I understand, Atem was something of a brat."

"You were." Seth agreed. "But, you probably would have grown out of it." He added with a shrug.

"I can't see you being all that comfortable around here if you were a carpenter before this." Jonouchi commented.

"I'd rather not be idle." Yami agreed. "We are looking for someone to teach us to read, and Bakura has agreed to teach us how to fight."

"Watch that one, he's crafty and likes underhanded tricks." Seth said.

"I know, he decided he wanted to greet me by sneaking into our room last night." Yami smirked. "I heard him and threw him off the bed and pinned him down."

"Good, the bastard needs a good knock on the head." Seth grumbled.

"You're not still sore about the snake, are you?" Jonouchi asked. Seth only huffed and crossed his arms. "I can speak to Mahad about teaching you, he has the most patient."

"What was Mahad to me? I met him yesterday, and he seemed quite upset when he found out I didn't remember him." Yami asked, not certain if he wanted to know the answer.

"Mahad was probably your closest companion, your best friend." Seth answered, his countenance softening. "He was the most devastated by your disappearance, besides your father."

"Oh." Yami said softly. "Perhaps it's not a good idea…"

"He'll avoid you otherwise." Seth replied. "It's best he gets used to the idea of you, instead of holding onto a ghost."

"That's mean, Seth." Jonouchi said, swatting at Seth's arm.

"It's necessary. We can't continue to live in the past." Seth said pragmatically.

"Do you think you could point us in the direction of a Healer? I'm looking to become an apprentice." Yugi piped up.

"I can take you to Isis." Kisara offered. "I've been meaning to give her a couple of my dragons' scales anyways."

"She may scream when she sees you." Seth warned Yami.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~~~~~&~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~(~~~~~~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~&~~~~~~~~~~~

Star: Review plz!


	17. Chapter 17

Star: I own nothing!

Isis did scream when she saw Yami. She was a tall woman, with black hair and dark blue eyes. "My prince?" She asked, hand at her throat.

"So they tell me." Yami replied. He explained about his memory to Isis.

"Then I suppose I must introduce myself to you." Isis said. "I am Isis, head Healer of the palace, and you spent a lot of time in my care when you were a child."

"Really?" Yami asked.

"You and Mana, always into everything, with poor Mahad trailing after, either getting sucked into your games or trying to talk you out of them." Isis said with a chuckle. "The three of you together were trouble, that's for sure." She sighed. "Is there anything I can help you with, my prince?"

"Please, just Yami. I'm no prince." Yami said. "Not for me, but for my beloved, Yugi."

"I wish to become a Healer's apprentice." Yugi said. Isis eyed him strangely.

"Normally such endeavours are taken at a much younger age." She pointed out.

"I'm certified in Healing with my people, but that is with only knowing the healing properties of creatures and plants beneath the sea." Yugi explained. Isis still looked blank. "I was a merman not long ago. Mostly what I need to learn is the healing remedies that can be found on land and how to deal with injuries of the legs and feet."

"Do you have any power to speak of?" Isis asked.

"I do, but we prefer not to use them unless it's completely necessary when it comes to injuries. Life magic is quite draining." Yugi explained.

"It's the same for us." Isis said. "I've been meaning to take on another Healer." She said thoughtfully. "Can you start immediately? There's much we need to go through."

Yugi looked to Yami, who nodded his head. "I was going to find Bakura anyways, see if he can't give me a lesson in fighting."

"Careful with him, don't want to see you back here as soon as you've left." Isis warned. "He fights dirty."

"So do I." Yami replied, flexing his hands. "Only way to survive as a slave." She gave him a sad smile and nodded her head. Yami left her then, padding through the halls out to the training grounds, where Bakura was in the process of throwing a rather skinny-looking recruit, who bounced back up and immediately went after Bakura again.

"Doesn't know when to give up." Yami commented after a few minutes of watching.

"Good, don't need quitters in my military." Bakura replied with a feral grin. "Come to try your hand?"

"No time like now to start learning." Yami replied. Bakura grinned wider and spread his arms.

"Gather round children," He called to the training soldiers. "Meet my wayward cousin, who for some odd reason does not remember anything about being my cousin and calls himself Yami. He thinks he's worthy to be trained by me, shall we see if he's right?" A ripple of laughter met his words. Yami saw the show for what it was and yawned, displaying his derision in the same manner.

"You have any skills at all?" Bakura asked quietly.

"Only what I picked up in brawls with other slaves." Yami replied with a shrug. Bakura nodded and then struck out at him. Yami had been on the alert since Bakura had started talking and dodged easily, kicking out and connecting with Bakura's shin. Bakura grinned and they began fighting in earnest. Yami was way outmatched by Bakura but he held his own until Bakura actually threw him and he got up, shaking his head.

"You giving up?" Bakura taunted.

"I don't think my beloved will be too pleased if I land myself in the healing chambers." Yami replied. "If I listen to anyone, it's him."

"Probably wise." Bakura conceded. "Especially if he's anything like my Ryou." He stretched a couple times. "You've got some natural talent, and you're not cocky, and your suspicious, I think I can work with you."

"Good to know. Just try not to break me, Yugi will have my head." Yami said.

"I stopped breaking recruits when Ryou started threatening to stop having sex with me." Bakura replied, slinging a friendly arm over Yami's shoulders. Yami tensed instinctively and Bakura laughed appreciatively. "I think you'd make a good soldier."

"Had I been in Rome they probably would have made me fight." Yami replied, letting Bakura walk them both away.

"Barbarians." Bakura muttered. "What I'm interested in with you is the fact that your kidnappers didn't try to hold you for ransom, or just kill you in another country, spark a war or something."

"I hadn't thought of that." Yami said.

"You don't think like a politician, which isn't a bad thing." Bakura said, seeing Yami make a face. "Politicians are snakes at the best of times, even your father, who's a very good man, knows how to play the games they do and he does it well. It's not a game for honest men and you are a very honest man from what I've seen."

"I'm a simple man." Yami said.

"Exactly." Bakura said triumphantly. "Politics would only offend you." He sighed. "I don't like what knowing you were somehow robbed of your memories and sold as a slave implies."

"What does it imply?" Yami asked.

"It implies that someone who knew you did this, someone who may have felt guilty about killing a child and so erased that child from existence instead." Bakura replied. "I don't know why, I don't know how, but my suggestion to you would be to be on your toes."

"I already am on my toes, I don't think I could get any more on my toes." Yami muttered. "I already knew my kidnappers could still be around and I have Yugi to worry about, don't I?"

"That's true, can he fight?" Bakura asked.

"He's dealt with sharks before, but he's used to fighting with a fin, not legs. I'd like you to teach him a few basics at the very least."

"A fin?" Bakura asked. Yami explained for the thousandth time that Yugi had been a merman. "You know how some people say there's a lot of fish in the sea, well, you literally got one of those fish." Bakura said, laughing at his own wit. Yami wasn't quite as impressed. "Not that I'm in any way saying he's not a good looking catch, does he know how to use his dick?"

"That is none of your business." Yami said stiffly.

"Oh, a prude, are we?" Bakura said, slapping his back. Yami gave him a dirty look. "Please have a sense of humour, Seth the tight-ass refuses to laugh at anything, it drives me nuts, please don't let me be the only one with a sense of humour in this family." Yami did chuckle at that. "Hallelujah!" Bakura said, throwing his hands up in the air.

"Have you ever considered the thought that your jokes might just not be funny?" Yami said.

"You tease." Bakura said. "I am going to go find Ryou now, he's a scribe."

"Are you two betrothed or married?"

"Married, just last spring flood, pity you missed it." Bakura said. "Now, remember what I said, trust no one."

"Including you?" Yami inquired. Bakura grinned widely.

"Now you're starting to get it." He said, and then walked away. Yami shook his head and wandered off, his arms and legs aching from the unfamiliar work he'd just done. He would take a bath, try to relax his muscles. Hopefully Yugi wouldn't be kept too long with Isis. He would need to find something else to entertain himself before long; he really didn't like to be idle.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~~~~~&~~~~~~~~~~~~~~(~~~~~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~&~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Star: Review plz!


	18. Chapter 18

Star: I own nothing!

Yami and Yugi followed Seth to Mahad's chambers. They were going to start their reading and writing lessons as the day turned to evening. Seth knocked on Mahad's door and the magician poked his head out, looking irritated. He bowed when he saw that it was Seth standing there.

"Yami and Yugi wish to learn how to write, I felt that you would be the best teacher for them, as you are used to teaching." Seth told Mahad. A mulish look came over the magician's face and Seth scowled. "That wasn't a request."

"Yes, Prince." Mahad said slowly. "Right away?"

"The sooner the better. It's embarrassing to have a cousin who can't even read." Seth said. Yami rolled his eyes at the remark. Mahad looked at him for a moment and then away, gesturing for Yami and Yugi to follow him inside.

Mahad's chambers had shelves with scrolls in them, lining almost every wall. The room smelled lightly of incense and fire and it was warm. Mahad bade them to sit down on some cushions on the floor. He then took a slate tablet and a piece of chalk and sat down with them, sighing softly.

"If this makes you uncomfortable you do not have to do it, we can find someone else." Yami said quietly. Mahad jumped slightly at his voice, but quickly composed himself.

"Prince Seth has ordered me, so I must do, my Prince." He mumbled.

"Please don't." Yami sighed. "It makes me very uncomfortable when people bow, or call me a prince. I'm a carpenter, this much attention and fawning makes my skin crawl. I don't need this, I need people who are just going to see me as a person, and if you can't do that then I cannot learn from you."

Mahad eyed him for a moment. "You are strange to me."

"Up until a few months ago I thought that the most interesting thing in my life was going to be Yugi, up until the Pharaoh showed up on my doorstep, telling me I was his son." Yami said. "Some days I wish he'd simply passed by my house."

"Why?" Mahad asked, looking startled.

"My life was simple, I understood who I was and what my place was in the world and I fit there. Now…" Yami paused, trying to put how he felt into words. "I don't fit here, I'm painfully out of place amongst you nobles. Me with my rough hands and scarred back. I keep expecting someone to order me to get them something, or to feel the sting of the lash against my back for being somewhere I shouldn't be."

"Then why are you here?"

"Because for as long as I can remember I have wanted to know about my family, about my past." Yami explained. "Because I'd given up knowing, and my father had given up on ever finding me. Because I cannot hurt him by turning my back on him." Yami sighed again. "I just can't do this if everyone keeps looking at me like I'm a ghost, expecting me to be someone I'm not. Thankfully most people seem to be getting that."

"My apologies." Mahad said quietly.

"I understand that this is hard for you, Mahad. That is why I am giving you the option to get out of this, Seth may be your prince, but I am the son of the king and I think my word has more sway, as odd a thought as that may be." Yami said. Mahad smiled slightly.

"You are here to learn, if I recall, so let's get down to it." He said.

%&%&%&%

"That wasn't as hard as I was fearing." Yami commented as they lay in bed, waiting for sleep to take them.

"Easy for you to say." Yugi grumbled. He'd had a tougher time with the letters than Yami had. "I'll bet it's because you already learned it, so some part of you remembers."

"Hmm, don't fret love." Yami said, kissing Yugi. "You'll get it in your own time."

"Mahad seemed to be relaxing around you by the end." Yugi commented.

"Perhaps," Yami said doubtfully. "I have no illusions that Seth did this solely to try and get Mahad used to me."

"Well, he does need to."

"Seth didn't have to be so underhanded about it." Yami protested. "Politicians." He muttered.

"If things had gone differently, you would have been a politician." Yugi pointed out.

"If things had been different, I would not have met you." Yami said, running his fingers through Yugi's hair tenderly. "There are many bad things about my being kidnapped and my memories taken from me, but there are also many good things, and I like to think I'm a better man than I would have turned out to be here."

"I don't know about that." Yugi said. "Seth is alright."

"Seth is balanced by Jonouchi, who doesn't put up with his attitude." Yami replied. "He's still an ass though. Bakura said I was spoiled, and seeing all this grandeur, I feel I have to believe him. All this finery, all those servants, I would not have had to lift a hand for myself."

"Are you saying you're glad you became a slave?" Yugi said, sounding confused. "That doesn't make sense, Yami."

"I'm not glad of the slavery, no, that is the last thing I am glad for." Yami growled. "I am glad of the lessons it has taught me, and the things I learned being a carpenter, the people I met, including you."

"Oh, that makes more sense." Yugi said. "I'm not tired." He declared finally.

"Neither am I." Yami replied. "Do you want to go outside, have a look at the sky?"

"Hm, yes." Yugi said, sitting up. "I never tire of your stories, or your rambling."

"I do not ramble." Yami protested, pulling on his clothes. Yugi just giggled and headed for the balcony. "I saw a garden in my wanderings today, it seems like a better option for stargazing to me."

"I agree." Yugi replied, and the two of them slipped out of the room and padded on bare feet through torch-lit halls, down to the ground level and out into the open air. The garden was filled with exotic plants, brimming with the perfumes of flowers and the faint musk of mosses and mushrooms. They sat down on a soft patch of grass and together looked up at the sky.

"What do the stars bring to mind tonight?" Yugi asked, only half teasing.

"You know these are the same stars in our town by the sea, and they were the same stars no matter where I was as a slave." Yami mused. "It makes the distances seem a little shorter."

"Your mother felt the same way." Yami turned as his father stepped into view, strangely vulnerable looking in a simple shenti, his head unadorned, the greying spikes of his hair visible. "She died giving birth to you, I think I neglected to mention that."

"You did." Yami said. "What was she like?"

"Playful, lively, your Yugi reminds me of her in some ways. She told me all her people's stories of the stars and demanded to know ours." His father said, sounding wistful. "I could not bring myself to remarry after her death, despite urging from my advisors, and even after you disappeared…"He sighed deeply. "I loved her so much, how could I marry another, knowing I would forever compare them to my beautiful star? That was not fair to them."

"I remember the names of the stars, the Egyptian ones, but I cannot remember their stories." Yami said. His father smiled slightly and sat down next to the two lovers.

"I know you know many of the Greek stories, and I do not know them." He said. "I know many, many useless things about their politics, but the stars I do not know. Will you take a story for a story?" he asked.

"I think that is fair." Yami agreed as Yugi snuggled up to him. He rubbed Yugi's thigh, loving the little sigh of contentment the simple touch prompted.

"Why don't you go first?" The Pharaoh suggested. Yami looked up, thinking of which star story to start with.

"You see those three stars lined up in a row? Those are the belt of Orion the Hunter…"

~~~~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~~~&~~~~~~~~~~~~~~(~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~&~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Star: Review plz!


	19. Chapter 19

Star: I own nothing!

Yami watched Mahad with Mana, working on her spells. He'd found a small piece of wood and was working on whittling it into the shape of Aoi the dragon. He looked up at a shriek and saw that, somehow, Mana had given Mahad bright green polka dots on his skin. Mana was trying, and failing, to hold back giggles as she apologized.

"Let's just stop for today." Mahad said, his voice resigned as he changed himself back. Mana nodded and bounced over to Yami.

"What are you doing?" She asked, plopping herself down in front of him.

"Whittling." Yami replied. "I like working with my hands."

"Hey, that's starting to look like Aoi." Mana commented.

"That's the idea." Yami chuckled. Mana grabbed at his hand and inspected it, running her fingers over his callouses.

"Your hands are all rough, I like them." Mana said. "Are all the scars from working with wood?"

"Most." Yami said. He turned his other palm over and showed her the long scar running through the center of it and the one paralleling it across his fingers. "I grabbed a sword from a man who was going to strike a child with it. I was beaten quite severely for that stunt."

"That's not very nice." Mana said.

"I was a slave, people were not nice to me, I was basically considered not human." Yami explained. "I know that sounds awful, but it's the truth. Taught me a thing or two."

"How'd you get away?" Mana asked, eyes wide. "Or don't you talk about that?"

"It's just not very exciting." Yami shrugged. "I ran when I was set to be sold again, made some money for myself whittling and headed to Egypt. Once a slave's been gone for a couple days they don't search for them anymore. It's not worth the time or the money."

"How come you didn't run earlier?" Mana asked.

"I didn't have the chance." Yami said. "Someone always watching, or I was tied up. Just luck that the ropes were frayed and the guards weren't paying attention."

"You got very lucky." Mahad said, coming up to them. "Not many make it on their own. Those that do get out are sometimes too ingrained in the slave life to be able to live normally again."

"It was frightening, to be on my own, to be the master of my own fate for the first time I could remember. I didn't know where to go, but my heart told me Egypt." Yami explained.

"Your heart told you right." Mahad said. "I wonder if it is magic that stole away your memories." He mused.

"I have no idea." Yami shrugged his shoulders, dusting off a portion of his carving.

"If it was magic we might be able to return your memories to you." Mana said. "Though mind magic is very tricky."

"I'd rather not have someone poking around in my head, thank you very much." Yami said. "In any case, it won't bring back Atem."

"No, but it would mean that you actually remember things instead of everyone having to tell you." Mahad said. Yami looked at him for a moment. "The person Atem died a long time ago, but like the phoenix you were raised from his ashes and I am willing to see if we can be friends as we once were."

"Start by not being so stiff around me and it could work." Yami advised. "It makes me nervous."

"I shall try, though years of etiquette training does impede me." Mahad said.

"As years of slave training struggles to overwhelm me at times." Yami said. "I understand. It is hard to let go of what's been ingrained in you. I still have the urge to bow when my father draws near and feel like I should be getting someone a drink or something. It doesn't leave you, unfortunately."

"How do you stand it here, then?" Mahad asked curiously.

"I've people here who help me feel like I belong. I remind myself every day that I am not a slave, that I am a free man, and that, somehow, I am the son of a king." Yami said with a smile. "But enough of that. Tell me of our childhood."

"The vase." Mana muttered, and for some reason Yami found that funny and began to laugh.

"I'm sorry, what is this about a vase?" he asked. "It's something amusing, isn't it?"

"I think it's funny." Mana declared, while Mahad huffed. "Mahad doesn't."

"Oh?"

"We, you and me, we used to hide in the big vases you've seen all over the palace and then pop out to scare people." Mana giggled. "One time we popped out as Mahad was going by and he screeched like a bird and jumped so high I swear he almost hit the ceiling."

"That is a little dramatic." Mahad huffed.

"He's just sore because all the older magicians that he was trying to impress saw him and started laughing. Mahad, you take things too seriously." Mana admonished.

"I assume that's why we were always going after him." Yami guessed.

"Uh huh, he made it way too much fun." Mana giggled. "He did have to help us out when we got stuck in the vase. We were getting too big to fit in one together. You started crying because you thought we were going to be stuck forever."

"And probably made a big deal about it afterwards, saying I wasn't scared at all." Yami said, remembering what Bakura had said about him being a brat.

"Oh yes, and went on about how scared Mana was, when it had been her that was trying to stop you from freaking out." Mahad added.

"I was a brat." Yami said.

"You were a product of your environment." Mahad said kindly. "But yes, you were a bit of a brat." He added, mouth quirking up slightly.

"Aww, there's a smile, Mr. Grumpy." Mana cooed teasingly. Mahad gave her a stern look.

"I think you need to study the theory of that spell a little more before you attempt it again." He said.

"Aww…" Mana whined, pouting.

"No buts, the next time you could wind up actually hurting someone." Mahad said. Mana sighed and rolled her eyes and got up.

"Well, Mr. Grumpy has spoken." She said to Yami.

"Well, he's got a point." Yami said with a shrug.

"Why do you have to be the reasonable one now?" Mana teased. Yami chuckled and waved goodbye to her.

"She's a competent magician, when she can remember exactly how to do the spells." Mahad said, shaking his head. "Sometimes I feel like she does it on purpose."

"I doubt it." Yami replied, finishing up the details on his carving.

"May I?" Mahad asked, reaching for the carving. Yami relinquished it readily. Mahad inspected it closely, running his fingertips over the lines and ridges. "You are a true artist." He said wonderingly.

"I could make something for you, if you like." Yami said. "I was hoping to give this one, and one of Akai, to Kisara."

"I think she would like that." Mahad said. "Seth may be suspicious of your intentions though, he can be quite jealous, as if either of his lovers would look anywhere else."

"Like my Yugi." Yami smiled, taking the carving back.

"He is sweet." Mahad said. "He has magic, does he not?"

"Yes."

"Hm, I would like to compare sometime." Mahad said. "For now I'd best make sure my student is doing as she is told."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~&~~~~~~~~~~~~~~(~~~~~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~&~~~~~~~~

Star: Review plz!


	20. Chapter 20

Star: I own nothing!

Kisara squealed when Yami presented her with the carvings of Aoi and Akai, forgetting her shyness long enough to hug him tightly. She then let him go, stammering apologies while Aoi chittered in annoyance at her. Aoi did calm down when she was shown her carving, tilting her head this way and that and then preening fussily. Akai just squeaked, burbling happily.

"I think they like them." Yami chuckled.

"Well, even if they didn't, I'd still be keeping them, though Aoi has a tendency to destroy anything she doesn't like." Kisara glared at Aoi, who looked away innocently. "We've been working on it, but she's quite vain." Aoi made a rude noise at her. "Hush." She told the little dragon. "They do so remind me of my beloveds sometimes." She sighed.

"You are fortunate to have them." Yami said. Kisara smiled, blushing slightly.

"As opposed to simply being a means to an end, I know." She said. "Many are not so lucky."

"Yami seems to share that sort of luck, don't you, cousin." Seth said, striding up. He narrowed his eyes at Yami.

"Seth…" Kisara sighed. "You will have to forgive him," She said to Yami. "He is plagued by the sin of jealousy."

"That is an unfair accusation." Seth huffed.

"But true." Kisara said kindly. "As if I would be wooed by anyone else."

"And as if I would do anything to hurt Yugi." Yami added.

"Speaking of Yugi, the Puppy seems to have adopted him." Seth said. "They're down by the river, Jonouchi's trying to teach him to catch fish with his bare hands."

%&%&%&%

"How'd you catch fish as a merman?" Jonouchi asked, knee deep in the shallows of the Nile, the protected small harbour behind the palace. Yugi looked at him, still thinking this was one of the craziest things he'd ever heard of.

"With nets." He said. "Or dolphin herding."

"Dolphin herding?" Jonouchi repeated, cocking his head curiously at Yugi.

"Dolphins make this clicking noise, it helps them find things and it seems to confuse the fish, so the dolphins herd the fish towards us and we can catch them. But that's if we can get the dolphins to cooperate." Yugi shrugged.

"Why don't you just train them?" Jonouchi asked.

"Dolphins are as smart as people, and we merfolk consider them people, to try and train them would be considered to us as slavery." Yugi explained. "Merfolk don't keep slaves."

"There a reason for that?" Jonouchi asked.

"We don't think people should be owned." Yugi said. "It upset me when I found out that Yami had been a slave, because the concept of owning another human being is so foreign to me."

"I don't really get it either." Jonouchi admitted. "In the East we didn't keep slaves." He suddenly reached down into the water and came up with a wriggling fish in his hand. "Haha, you see? It can be done!"

"You're funny, Jonouchi." Yugi giggled. Jonouchi grinned and turned, tossing the fish in a bucket of water he had set up.

"Got it in!" He called excitedly. Yugi giggled again and looked down at the water, watching the fish swim by him. He reached down and actually grabbed onto a fish for a second before the fish jerked away from him and he went tumbling into the water. He came up sputtering, with Jonouchi laughing at him. Once Yugi got his breath back he was laughing right along with the blonde.

Jonouchi helped him to his feet. "You're not very graceful, are you?" He teased.

"Should have seen me when I first got legs, couldn't figure out how I was supposed to work them." Yugi said with a laugh.

"I guess moving through the water's a bit different from walking on land." Jonouchi said. "Can you still swim now that you got legs?"

"Yeah, different movements, but part of the problem I think a lot of humans have is the instinct that they're going to drown that prevents them from learning, and well, I don't have that." Yugi replied. "Plus, I was the one helping Yami learn to swim, so I knew how he did it, and just imitated him."

"Do you miss it?" Jonouchi asked.

"Do you miss your home?" Yugi queried in reply.

"Yeah, guess that was a bit of a stupid question." Jonouchi said sheepishly.

"It wasn't." Yugi assured him. "Most of us leave home to find our fortunes elsewhere as it is in the seas." He explained. "I just went a step beyond that." He smiled sadly. "I sometimes miss the feeling of the water rocking me to sleep, but the feeling of Yami holding me tight while we sleep is even better."

"Gah, you're so cute." Jonouchi said, making Yugi blush. He dipped his hand in the water again and threw another fish in the bucket.

"Why are we doing this anyways?" Yugi asked.

"No reason, really. I'll let them go when I'm done." Jonouchi said. "Used to fish like this back home and we'd have fresh fish for dinner. Didn't have as many servants as there are around here, our people like a little bit of a homier lifestyle, and my ma liked cooking. Guess I just like to keep the ability fresh."

"Well, if it makes you happy." Yugi said. "Don't think I'll ever be any good at it though." Jonouchi gave him a lopsided grin and dumped his bucket of fish out.

"Wanna see if we can beg a snack out of the cooks?" He asked.

"Sure." Yugi replied. "Then I should be getting back to Isis. Who knew there were so many things that could be used to help heal people?"

"Good luck with that, I could never keep all those herbs and stuff straight in my head." Jonouchi said. "More of a battle tactics kind of guy, but Seth's got me beat in that too. Guy's got like a super mind or something, he's so smart." Yugi noticed the glazed over look in Jonouchi's eyes.

"You like smart men, don't you?" Yugi guessed.

"Yeah, well, nothing worse than a guy who looks cute but is dumb as a brick when you talk to him." Jonouchi said, looking sheepish. "Known a few princes like that, few princesses too, come to think of it."

"Yami thinks you two just like arguing." Yugi said.

"Well there's that too." Jonouchi relented. "I tend to scare people when I get mad, but not Seth. Sometimes I think he goes out of the way to get me mad on purpose."

"That doesn't sound very nice." Yugi said, frowning.

"He's not always nice." Jonouchi agreed. "But he makes up for it if he knows he's gone too far, and the sex…" He halted when Yugi started blushing. "You and Yami haven't gone that far yet?"

"N-no…" Yugi stuttered out. "Do you think that's wrong?"

"Hey, if you're not ready, you're not ready." Jonouchi shrugged. "it's obvious he loves you though, so don't worry about that."

"I don't." Yugi said. It was true. He knew Yami loved him with all his heart, and he loved Yami with all his heart. He was just… curious about the way humans made love. Maybe he should bring it up, but it was such an embarrassing subject.

"You want something sweet?" Jonouchi asked, bringing him out of his thoughts.

"No dates." Yugi replied. "I don't like those."

"Me neither." Jonouchi replied. "But everyone around here can't seem to get enough of them."

"Yami either." Yugi said. The two of them started laughing, drawing some disapproving stares from the older noblemen around, which only made them laugh harder.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~~~~~&~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~(~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~~~~&~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Star: Review plz!


	21. Chapter 21

Star: I own nothing!

People were slowly starting to realize who Yami was, and now whispers followed him whenever he walked the halls of the palace. It made his skin crawl, knowing that people knew about him, and he wasn't just another random face anymore. The more people who knew who he was, the more likely it was that he and Yugi could find themselves in danger.

Still, he found that they were settling in far quicker than Yami had anticipated. Yami spent his days in combat training with Bakura, speaking with his father and learning about politics and Egypt, learning to read and write from Mahad and then trying to occupy the rest of his time by himself. Yugi joined him in almost everything, but worked in the infirmary most.

Bakura was very interested in Yugi's style of fighting, which he was slowly trying to modify from the merfolk style to fit his new body. It focused mostly on the legs, kicking, sweeping and jumping, which made sense when you knew that the strongest part of the mermen's bodies were their tails. Yugi wasn't so good with punching and hitting with his hands.

Yami had taken to fighting like a duck to the water. He enjoyed the challenge presented by Bakura, as Bakura knew so many tricks that Yami was always on his toes, waiting for something new. It was invigorating, and Bakura seemed to enjoy having someone that gave as good as he got.

"I definitely like you a lot better than Atem." Bakura commented as the two of them sat panting from their exertions. "He would have whined about that black eye." Yami touched the eye in question and winced. "Should get your little fishy to kiss it better." Yami smacked him across the head, but chuckled deeply. "See, Atem wouldn't have appreciated the joke."

"You don't know that." Yami protested. "He might have grown up." Bakura just rolled his eyes. "But, the kissing better did sound like a good idea."

"Maybe a little more than a kiss." Bakura cackled. Yami just shook his head and wandered off.

"Sparring with Bakura again, I see." Isis commented when Yami walked in the infirmary. Yugi took one look at him and made a tsk noise, finding the bruise balm.

"Honestly, sometimes I think you enjoy getting bruised up." Yugi said, smearing the paste on Yami's bruise. Yami took the scolding with a smile, stealing a kiss when he was done. Yugi giggled and blushed. "Shoo now, I'm trying to work." Yami stole one more kiss and left the infirmary.

%&%&%&%

Yugi watched his lover strip down for the night, admiring the way the muscles of his back shifted and bunched with his movements. The scars that had so startled him when he was just getting to know Yami only reminded him of his lover's strength now. Yami finished and strode over to the bed, preparing to settle in.

Yugi sat up and kissed Yami, placing his hand on his chest and feeling the strong heartbeat speed up. "Gods, what you do to me." Yami murmured, resting his forehead against Yugi's. Yugi touched Yami's face and kissed him again. "You don't want to sleep?"

"I want…" Yugi felt his face heating up. "I don't even really know what it is that I want, but I want you, all of you."

"That's a rather large step, Little One." Yami said gently. "And neither of us have any sort of experience."

"I-I don't mean that far, but I'd like to start trying… you know."

"You want to take a step further." Yami guessed. "Touching, kissing, physically taking the next step, is that right?"

"Yes." Yugi said, relieved that Yami understood his ramblings. Yami smiled and kissed Yugi, keeping it soft and sweet, while his hands traced along Yugi's neck and then down his spine, making Yugi shiver softly. Yami's hands moved to his front, tracing the lines of his hipbones and trailing up his chest to stroke his throat again.

Then lips moved to the spot that Yami had been stroking, licking and sucking at the skin there. Yugi gasped at the sensation, squirming slightly as pleasure trickled down his spine. "What does it feel like?" Yami murmured against his skin.

"Like something racing in my skin, sort of tingly… oh!" Yugi arched his back as Yami bit down gently on his neck, the odd sensation somewhere between pleasure and pain. He decided to return the favour and slid his hands around Yami's back, touching the scars there. Yami tensed for a moment and Yugi pressed a kiss to his throat, reassuring him.

"My strong, beautiful Yami." Yugi said softly. He dug his nails slightly into the skin and was rewarded with a growling sound not unlike a purr.

"I think that is enough for now." Yami said, pulling Yugi close and laying them both down. "I am tired now and would rather have energy to do such explorations."

"But we will do more?" Yugi asked.

"Of course." Yami said softly, nuzzling his neck. Yugi sighed in contentment and snuggled into Yami's embrace.

%&%&%&%

Yami woke up in the morning with a problem. It was a problem he'd had before and he'd always slipped away from Yugi before he could notice it. Luck, however, was not on his side this morning as Yugi mumbled in his prelude to waking and shifting, making Yami bite his lip to hold back a moan. Before he could try and move away even a little Yugi's eyes opened.

Yami froze, praying that Yugi wouldn't notice the hardness pressed up against him. But Yugi frowned slightly in puzzlement and looked down between them. Yami suddenly found himself on his back with Yugi on top of him, a look of concentration on his face.

"What are you doing?" Yami asked, then groaned as Yugi rubbed his hips into his.

"You're not tired now, are you?" Yugi asked.

"No, not in the slightest." Yami rolled his own hips into Yugi's, watching him bite his lip in pleasure. "How do you know this?"

"People talk." Yugi explained. "I wanted to try…" He looked away, blushing. "I've had erections before and I always wondered…"

"Nothing to be ashamed about." Yami said, gripping Yugi's hips in a gentle hold, keeping him still. Yugi gave him a puzzled look and Yami smirked and reversed their positions, leaning over Yugi. He still gripped Yugi's hips, keeping him still and then rolled his own body into Yugi's languidly, wanting to see what that would do.

Yugi shuddered and moaned, eyes closing. He squirmed in Yami's grasp, the slow pace obviously frustrating him. It frustrated Yami to some extent, but it was worth it to see Yugi falling apart beneath him, whimpering softly. He changed the angle of his thrust slightly and shuddered himself as a new wave of pleasure rippled over him.

"Yami… Yami please…" Yugi whimpered, head thrashing from side to side. Yami leaned down and began to suck at Yugi's neck, feeling the rapid pulse beneath his lips. Yugi's back arched and he cried out, shaking as he came. Yami let out a growl and came as well, then flopped down on top of Yugi.

"That felt good." Yugi said shakily. Yami lifted his head slightly and kissed Yugi's neck.

"It's supposed to, beloved." He murmured.

"I didn't know it would feel that good." Yugi said in reply. "We're messy though now." He added with a grimace, shifting a little beneath Yami. Yami could feel the cool wetness being spread around their stomachs and grimaced as well.

"Easy solution to that problem." He said, lifting himself back up again. "We go have a bath." Yugi giggled and took his hand, letting himself be led to their private bathing chambers. The two of them bathed each other, exchanging kisses and touches as they did so, only getting out when their stomachs reminded them that they needed to break their fast.

"I can see why humans are always having sex if that's what it's like." Yugi commented, and then clapped a hand over his mouth.

"Is that what merfolk think of us?" Yami asked with a chuckle.

"Well, humans are always having so many children." Yugi explained, bright red.

"That wasn't even completely sex." Yami reminded him. Yugi's eyes widened. "I'm told it gets even better."

"Oh, well, that's…" Yugi couldn't seem to get any more out, so Yami merely kissed him and led him out of their rooms to get something to eat.


	22. Chapter 22

Star: I own nothing!

"We've found nothing about your kidnapping all those years ago." Yami's father said as the two of them sat with their legs in the water of the garden's pond. Yami was carving out a dog for Jonouchi, since the prince reminded him so much of a loyal canine.

"You would think there would have been some ploy for the throne after that, since you were now without an heir." Yami added.

"It could have been a ploy to force me to remarry, knowing I had no heir. Some nobles will stop at nothing to get more power." His father replied. "But that means it could have been any number of the families that came forward with their daughters in a bid to secure them as my wife."

"But you refused and instead made Seth your heir." Yami finished. "Though why they would not go after Seth…"

"We tightened our security after that. I do not think anyone had a chance to get at him." The Pharaoh replied.

"Still, it seems suspicious to me, but then what do I know about politics?" Yami huffed out a laugh.

"You're doing well understanding what I've told you so far." His father assured him.

"Thank you." Yami said, feeling pleased by this. "Bakura is trying to incorporate Yugi's style of fighting with primarily his legs into his army's normal regime. He's calling it kickboxing."

"Bakura has a lot of crazy ideas, but I have seen Yugi fight, and it's very different." The Pharaoh said. "Different is often good in a battle, the opponent is not sure how to react."

"Aknamkanon, you are the Pharaoh, you should not be wasting time out here." Priest Ahknaden said, striding towards them, looking annoyed.

"I am spending time with my son." The Pharaoh replied calmly. "That is not time wasted. Besides, I've no more meetings for the day and everything seems to be in order, unless some new crisis has arisen that I am not aware of." Ahknaden sniffed and stalked off.

"I get the feeling he doesn't like me very much." Yami commented.

"I think he still believes you to be a fraud." His father replied. Yami snorted derisively. "No matter how many times I remind him that you have no designs to the throne he cautioned me to be careful. Sometimes I think he believes he is the elder of us two."

"I imagine that annoys you." Yami said.

"Precisely." His father said with a laugh. "Especially when I've never been known to be flighty or childish. Well, childish when it came to you, only."

"What do you mean?"

"Most fathers do not spend as much time as I spent with you. They either are taken care of by their mothers, or by a wet nurse." The Pharaoh explained. "I kept you with me as often as I could dare to. My council got used to seeing a toddler on my lap or wandering around the table, babbling in baby talk. Many of them even became your perches when you didn't want me for some reason or another. I think it charmed the foreign dignitaries to see a little baby sitting on the Pharaoh's lap when they came to pay homage to me."

"Made you more of a person. Don't most kings want to seem aloof from the people they deal with?" Yami asked.

"Some do, but I have found that making myself seem more approachable has made me far more allies amongst all types of people." His father replied. "Of course that meant if someone wanted to hurt me…"

"I was the optimal choice." Yami guessed. "It's a dangerous thing, being a king."

"Which is why you want no part of it." His father said.

"I'm a simple man, politics is anything but simple." Yami responded.

"You're a good man." His father replied. "I'm proud of the person you've grown up to be, even if I wasn't there to see it." He wrapped an arm around Yami's shoulders and hugged him. Yami stiffened instinctively and his father let go. "Forgive me."

"No, forgive me. Old instincts are hard to unlearn, but I know you well enough now." He turned and gave his father a proper hug, burying his face in his chest like a child. His father's arms came down around him, holding him tightly. Yami experienced a sense of disorientation, like he was suddenly smaller and felt like his father's arms were the safest place in the world.

When they pulled away he saw that his father had tears in his eyes. "What's wrong?" Yami asked.

"Nothing, I just haven't been hugged like that since you disappeared." His father replied, wiping the tears from his eyes. "It felt exactly like it had back then."

"I think it did for me too. Just a sense of déjà vu, nothing more, but still it felt… right." Yami replied.

"So it's not as though the memories are completely gone, they are simply buried." His father said.

"Yugi described my mind once like the sea. I thought that was fitting. The sea is mysterious, we can see what's on the surface, but there are things below in the deeps that are not known. Sometimes things, ships and such, get lost in those deeps. We know they are there, but we cannot get to them." Yami explained.

"Like your memories." The Pharaoh guessed. "Is it bad that I feel less upset about you not remembering anymore?"

"Time softens the wounds." Yami said, tracing the scars on his own back. "You have me back, and that is enough, is it not?" His father nodded. "So perhaps it no longer matters so much that I am not as you remember, or that I do not remember, because we are making new memories together."

"Yes, that's exactly it." His father said. "You are very wise."

"The circumstances of my life mean that I grew up very quickly. I learned a lot about life, a lot about people as a whole." Yami explained. "I learned what horrors human beings are capable of, and yet how kind they could be. I learned to survive, how to play nice while not sacrificing who I was."

"You're a stubborn man." His father said appreciatively.

"It's a good and a bad thing." Yami said with a chuckle.

"You get it from your mother, she was a fiery woman." His father said. "You have her stature too."

"Do you think she would have been pleased by me?" Yami asked, feeling melancholy without really knowing why.

"I think she would have been greatly pleased by the man you've become, as well as your choice in life partners." His father said. "Marrying for love." He explained, seeing Yami's confused look.

"It wouldn't have bothered her that my partner is male?" Yami asked. Most didn't have any sort of issue with same-sex partners, but there were those out there that felt that it was unnatural.

"One of her best girl friends had a female lover." His father replied. "Anyone with half a brain in their head and half a heart would not see anything wrong with two people of the same gender falling in love with each other."

"Can you imagine someday that the norm is that those relationships between people of the same sex are considered disgusting?" Yami asked.

"Why would you think of that?"

"Some crazy Oracle ranting about the world of the future with entire cities turned to ash in an instant, lands being found across the far sea, which Yugi told me do exist, and people like me and Yugi not able to show their affection in public." Yami said. "Sounds insane, but you have to wonder, don't you?"

"Entire cities reduced to ash? Sounds like your Oracle was just drunk." The Pharaoh chuckled.

"You're probably right. Besides, why am I worrying about the future?" Yami asked. "I've got enough to occupy my mind for today."

"Worrying about the future is my job, and I suppose I must get back to it before my brother bursts a blood vessel or something." The Pharaoh laughed and stood up, shaking water off his feet and putting back on his sandals.

"Have a good day, father."

"You too, my son."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~&~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~(~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~~~&~~~~~~~~~~~

Star: Review plz!


	23. Chapter 23

Star: I own nothing!

Yugi woke up with a calloused hand kneading his behind. "Yami." He whined, earning a kiss on his forehead.

"Good morning love." Yami replied, squeezing the flesh in his hand lightly. Yugi squeaked and opened his eyes, finding his lover grinning wickedly at him.

"I'm not awake yet." Yugi said grumpily.

"Let me help you with that then." Yami said, kissing him on the lips and squeezing his behind again. Yugi felt his face start to heat up, both with embarrassment and arousal. It wasn't going to be sex, it was just kissing and touching today, which was more than enough for both of them. They moved against each other, touching and kissing.

"Good morning." Yugi sighed, nuzzling his nose against Yami's neck. Yami let out a purring noise of contentment in reply.

"Shall we go see about food?" Yami asked. "Before we are whisked away from each other?" Yugi giggled at Yami's dramatic prose.

"I think that would be acceptable." Yugi agreed, still giggling. They got dressed and padded through the quiet halls down to the kitchens. The cooks, used to their presence in the mornings, merely bobbed polite nods in their direction and went on with their work. One of the cooks gave them each a piece of bread with honey and some fruits.

"How are you progressing as Isis' apprentice?" Yami asked.

"Well." Yugi replied. "I am finding ways to remember what herbs are good for what, and I am teaching Isis what things from underwater can be used to heal as well." Yugi chewed thoughtfully for a moment. "I think Isis is pleased with how fast I am progressing. How are you and your father doing?"

"We are much easier together, it feels natural to speak and spend time with him." Yami said. "It feels good."

"I imagine it does." Yugi chuckled. "he is your father, after all, even if you don't remember him."

"Apparently a part of me does remember." Yami said.

"I'm not surprised." Yugi said.

"I suppose I shouldn't be." Yami admitted. "Part of me still persists in thinking this is some kind of dream though."

"Am I a dream to you?" Yugi teased. Yami smirked at him.

"If you are I never want to wake up." He murmured, leaning in to kiss Yugi.

"You're a hopeless romantic." Yugi said when they parted.

"Is that a complaint?" Yami teased.

"You stop I might start complaining." Yugi replied. Flirting was fun. Yami kissed him again, and then it was time for them to start going about their day. Yugi knew Yami didn't like being separated from him for too long, something he thought was a product of never having known love before Yugi and not wanting to let that go, but he liked the feeling of anticipation that he got every day knowing he would see Yami again soon.

%&%&%&%

"Are you certain you've never played this before?" Seth asked in an accusatory tone. Yami smirked at him over the Senet board.

"I swear by all the gods that I have never played this game in my life, to my knowledge." He replied. "I am, however, a very fast study."

"Very fast." Seth grumbled moodily.

"I did warn you that I liked games and took to them easily." Yami reminded him.

"I didn't consider the full implications of that statement." Seth replied. Yami moved one of his pieces and Seth began to curse colourfully.

"I guess I win." Yami said, smirking. Seth glared at him.

"Smug bastard." He growled.

"Hey, hey, no need to bring my father's honour into this." Yami teased.

"I have never lost Senet before." Seth stated.

"First time for everything." Yami said blithely. Seth just glared at him some more. "Would you like to play again?"

"Yes, it had to be a fluke." Seth agreed, setting the board up again. Yami just shook his head and began to play again.

"I think that Jonouchi is still trying to teach Yugi to fish with his hands." Yami commented.

"Jonouchi likes having a friend." Seth replied, frowning at the game.

"Doesn't he have friends already?" Yami asked.

"Jonouchi is a rare breed of prince in that he doesn't know how to negotiate the cutthroat world of politics." Seth said.

"What do you mean?" Yami asked.

"He's too honest." Seth said. "He's too friendly, and he wears his emotions on his sleeve. People take advantage of that, use him to further their own agendas. Yugi isn't like that, whether because he was a younger prince or because politics don't work like that underwater, and so Jonouchi finally has someone he can call a friend without worrying about them stabbing him in the back."

"What about Bakura? He doesn't seem like the political type to me." Yami said.

"He likes baiting Jonouchi, so the Puppy tends to avoid him." Seth explained.

"Don't you bait Jonouchi?"

"Yes, but I know when to back off, and Jonouchi usually knows I'm just trying to rile him up because I think he's cute when he's pissed off." Seth said.

"You are not a nice man to your lover." Yami scolded.

"He gives as good as he gets, I wouldn't do it to Kisara, she's far more sensitive. And her dragons would take offence."

"Never mess with a dragon." Yami chuckled.

"Last person who tried got lightning in their face, courtesy of Aoi." Seth said. "Akai's got fire, but he's far less temperamental. It seems the females have the bigger tempers when it comes to dragons."

"How is that any different from people?" Yami asked. Seth chuckled appreciatively.

"I wouldn't say that near any women if I were you." He said.

"Do I look stupid to you?" Yami demanded. Seth gave him a sideways look. "You're an asshole."

"Shut up and make your move." Seth replied. Yami did and Seth growled at him.

"Not looking like a fluke anymore, is it?" Yami taunted.

"The game is not yet won." Seth said stiffly.

But in the end Yami did wind up winning again, which prompted another bout of swearing from his cousin. "I've got to go now." He said, standing up. "Another time?"

"You think I'm just going to let you get away with beating me?" Seth demanded.

"I have a lover to get back to now, you of all people should know you shouldn't keep lovers waiting."

"Fine, tomorrow then." Seth said.

"Tomorrow." Yami agreed.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~~~&~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~(~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~~~~~&~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Star: Review plz!


	24. Chapter 24

Star: I own nothing!

Yugi rubbed Akai's tummy, giggling when the little dragon wiggled and let out a croon of bliss. "He's a bit like a puppy, isn't he?" He commented to Kisara.

"Funny thing is, this is about how big this type of dragon grows, so he's an adult." The soft-spoken woman replied. "Jonouchi, you need to stop sneaking treats to him," She admonished. "He's starting to look tubby again." Akai squawked indignantly at this.

"Aww, but he's gives me those big sad eyes and I can't say no." Jonouchi explained, looking sheepish. Seth snorted. "Oh, like you wouldn't give Aoi anything she wanted if she gave you a sad look, you big sap."

"Aoi is too refined to beg." Seth said loftily. Aoi, perched on his shoulder, snorted in agreement.

"You two are meant for each other." Yami teased. Seth glared at him. "I'm only telling the truth, cousin."

"He has a point." Mana said, casually plopping down beside Yugi. "Come on Mahad, don't look so constipated, they're your friends, not just the princes."

"I am merely acting as my station should, as should you." Mahad said, stepping up. "At the very least so that you do not accidently offend visitors who are not as… liberal as our rulers."

"Yami's not even a ruler, he's just an average person." Mana protested.

"I wasn't talking about him." Mahad said. "No offence to you, Yami."

"None taken, my friend." Yami replied. "Mana is right, you may act stiff when there are eyes upon you, but you are among friends, sit, relax."

Mahad huffed, but sat down next to Yami. Akai whistled and launched himself in the air, landing on Mahad's head and cooing at him. "Hello to you too." Mahad said, cracking a small smile. Akai burbled happily to him and immediately began pawing at his robes.

"Jonouchi isn't the only one sneaking him treats." Seth pointed out. Mahad dropped his stiff persona enough to glare at the heir to the throne. Seth smirked back at him and scratched at the scales on Aoi's neck, making her coo happily. "Have you told Yami about the saga of the vases?"

Mana began to laugh hysterically and Mahad rolled his eyes. "I've heard something of the vases, I know Mana and I scared Mahad badly one time."

"Oh it wasn't just Mahad." Mana said. "The vases were our favourite places to play and we liked popping up and scaring people. Visitors especially, because they weren't expecting it. We also liked going after your father, because he'd let us latch onto his legs or cape and just keep walking. It was funny looking at people's faces when the Pharaoh walked by, calmly talking politics, with a pair of kids using him as a ride."

Yugi and Yami chuckled at the image that presented. "My father is a very family-minded man."

"It's not usual for kings, that's for certain. My own father did not have much to do with me unless it was lessons to be taught." Seth said. "Now he advises me in my role as the Heir, but apart from a vague sense of affection, I don't think I feel too attached to him. I feel obligated to him as his son, but we certainly never had a relationship like you and your father, Yami."

"No wonder Syrus likes him." Yami commented. "Syrus is all about his family."

"A little too much if you ask me." Seth muttered.

"No one was." Jonouchi said sweetly. "I'm excited about kids. I know the first will be Seth's but we're all going to raise them together, so they'll have two fathers."

"That sounds sweet." Yugi said. "Are you going to be involved in your kids' lives, Seth?"

"Yes." Seth said. "If my lovers are going to be involved with them, I'm going to get dragged in anyways."

"Aw, stop it Seth." Jonouchi said, poking him. "He actually really likes kids, he just has no idea how to deal with them, so he's a little scared to become a father."

"I am not." Seth growled.

"You are and so am I." Jonouchi declared. "I mean, what if I drop it or something?"

"You'll both be excellent fathers." Kisara said reassuringly. "Look how well you have handled my dragons."

"I guess they're a little like children." Jonouchi admitted. Aoi squawked indignantly at him.

"Be nice, Aoi." Kisara warned. The white dragon snorted and began to preen herself. "I think it's close to feeding time, she's always testier when she's hungry." She explained. She held out her arms and her dragons obediently flew to her and perched on her shoulders. Jonouchi and Seth got up as well, escorting their betrothed away.

"Seth is strange. Sometimes he's easy to be around and other times he's as stiff as Mahad and twice as arrogant as Bakura." Mana commented.

"Speaking of Bakura I managed to catch one of your sparring matches with him, Yami." Mahad said. "You two are quite the sight to behold."

"In what way?" Yami asked.

"I mean the two of you fighting was, in a way, beautiful." Mahad explained. "You both move so gracefully and yet those moves are so dangerous."

"I wouldn't call myself graceful." Yami demurred.

"You're very graceful, Yami." Yugi said. "One of the most graceful people I know. It's simply that you are so comfortable in your skin that does it."

"Well, thank you." Yami said awkwardly.

"He still doesn't know how to take a compliment." Yugi said. "I don't think he quite believes them."

"Not true." Yami protested. Yugi gave him a look. "Maybe it is a little true."

"Do you think it's due to your slave upbringing?" Mahad asked and then immediately blanched. "I'm sorry, that was rude of me-"

"It's fine, Mahad." Yami interrupted, assuring him. "I suppose it does. Although I never gave into the idea that I was worthless, that I was nothing. It gets repeated so many times though that a part of you starts to believe it."

"Mental scars, as opposed to physical." Mahad said.

"Yes. The scars on my body may look ugly but they do not hurt me anymore. Barbed words stick in your mind, and you go back to them over and over, so that the pain they have caused may never leave you." Yami explained.

"That is why Seth tries to be careful how far he pushes Jonouchi. He knows that words can hurt." Mana guessed. "I remember the first couple times and Seth went too far… Jonouchi wouldn't talk to him for days and it took quite a bit of convincing to make him see that Seth didn't really mean it, and that Jonouchi wasn't what Seth was saying. I think Jonouchi got picked on by other princes before he came to live here."

"But Seth still likes to rile him up." Mahad said, frowning slightly. "I, quite frankly, don't see the point of it."

"People don't fight with Seth, because he's the heir, I'm guessing." Yami said.

"So Seth likes the fact that Jonouchi doesn't back down from a fight." Yugi supplied. "I guess they really are meant for each other. Jonouchi will keep Seth on his toes."

"What about you two, what do you do for each other?" Mana asked.

"Yugi is my voice of reason, he makes me think about things, and he doesn't allow me to brood." Yami explained.

"Yami is my strong assurance, because sometimes I'm not sure I can do something, but he always encourages me. He also prods me to try new things that I might like." Yugi added. Yami pulled him close and kissed him on the forehead.

"You two are so cute." Mana squealed, making Yugi blush.


	25. Chapter 25

Star: I own nothing!

Yami was filling the time between sparring with Bakura and when he knew Yugi would be out of the infirmary by whittling. He was sitting on a balcony overlooking the main outdoor courtyard where he could see the comings and goings of the people. He was working on a figurine for Seth; a cat sitting up and looking around like it owned the world. He thought it fitting for Seth.

"Yami, isn't it?" He looked up and found Ahknaden, his uncle, standing looking down on him.

"Yes." Yami said. He didn't know why the man was talking to him; since they'd gotten to the palace Ahknaden had gone out of his way to avoid Yami.

"Walk with me?" Yami gave Ahknaden a narrow-eyed look but saw no reason not to. A niggling suspicion still lingered in the back of his mind, but he brushed it away. He got up, taking knife and wood with him and kept in step with his uncle.

"You seem to have settled in well." Ahknaden commented.

"I've had help, from new, and old friends." Yami replied, wondering where this was going.

"So nothing of your memory has returned?" The priest asked.

"It is hard to explain. I experience things like déjà vu, react to things without knowing why I'm reacting and small things might bring up a snippet of memory." Yami said. "But there is nothing coherent, nothing that suggests I am going to wake up some day soon and have all my memories back."

"I wondered, since they seem to have no problem accepting you."

"They accept me for me, not the ghost of a boy who essentially died years ago." Yami didn't quite snap.

"I see." Ahknaden said, nodding his head. "And you have no inclination towards taking back your status as heir?"

"Why does everyone think that I would want that?" Yami asked, rolling his eyes. "It's huge job, in politics, and I have no knowledge of such things, and am only now just learning to read and write, I am hopelessly inadequate for the job."

"And yet many people would try." The priest commented.

"Many people are fools, I am not." Yami shot back.

"No, I do not think you are." Ahknaden said considering. "I've had a hard time believing that you were truly Atem and not some con artist."

"That is understandable." Yami replied. "If someone I thought dead suddenly seemed to turn up again I would be suspicious as well."

"I do truly believe that you are who my brother thinks you are now." Ahknaden added. "Which is why I must do this." Before Yami could ask what he meant he felt something prick his neck. He whirled, getting ready to fight but his body felt like it was going numb and after a moment he collapsed, unable to move his body. Ahknaden grabbed him and dragged him into a nearby room, tying him up.

"Why?" Yami demanded, finding he could still move above his neck. "Wait, your son. You wanted Seth to be king, and the only way you could do that was to get rid of me."

"Clever, but knowing now won't save you." Ahknaden said. "I'm going to do what I should have done all those years ago."

"Then why didn't you do it then?" Yami demanded, trying to keep the madman talking. The longer he wasn't there for Yugi, the more Yugi would know something was wrong. But how would Yugi find him? He had to hold out hope. "You couldn't do it, could you?"

"My own foolish sentimentality prevented me from killing you." Ahknaden admitted. "I could not bear the thought of a child's blood on my hands. But I knew of someone who knew how to erase memories and so I took you to them and had them erase your memories, then paid slavers to take you to Greece. You weren't dead, but you were out of the way."

"And so your guilt was absolved." Yami growled. "Never mind the fact that I was beaten, starved, sold like property and treated like less than dirt for eight years and never knew who I was or where my family was. No it was far kinder than killing me." He finished sarcastically.

"I do not have to explain myself to you." Ahknaden growled. "It doesn't matter now though, I can't have you keep on living."

"I don't want the throne, have you conveniently forgotten that?" Yami asked. Ahknaden had a wild look in his eye now.

"I cannot risk it, so you must die." He said. Yami couldn't fight, but he fervently hoped Yugi, or someone, would find him in time.

%&%&%&%

Yugi couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong. "He's late." He explained to Isis. "He's never late, he's often early, you know that." He insisted.

"He could have gotten caught up in something." Isis suggested.

"I don't think so." Yugi said doubtfully. "I just have this really awful feeling that something's gone terribly wrong."

"Why don't you go see if you can find him if you're so worried." Isis said. "The work's done for the day."

"Thank you, Isis." Yugi said, heading out. He looked around, but didn't see Yami coming for him.

"What's up, short stuff?" Bakura said, striding up. "Where's your lover?"

"I don't know, and that's what worries me." Yugi admitted.

"What worries you?" Seth asked.

"Yami hasn't shown up yet and he's always on time." Yugi explained.

"Strange, I was supposed to see my father about one of the policies we've been trying to change, but he hasn't been seen either." Seth commented. Bakura shifted and furrowed his brow. "What is it?" Seth demanded.

"You're not going to like it." Bakura said. Seth shrugged. "Who had the most to gain by having Atem disappear?" He asked. "Who had the motive?"

"You're not saying…"

"Who better knew the mind of the Pharaoh? Who else would know that he would never take another wife, never produce another heir of his own? And who else had a son that was educated in politics already?" Bakura demanded. "I just don't know why I didn't see it before."

"You're saying my father had something to do with this?" Seth demanded.

"Why wasn't Yami killed immediately? Letting him live indicates a familiarity, a sort of affection for him." Bakura said. "And, why have they both gone missing at the same time?"

"This is ridiculous." Seth protested, but he sounded unsure.

"How has your father been acting since Yami came here, Seth?" Bakura demanded.

"I have noticed he seems a bit… off." Jonouchi said. "And I'm not even around him that often. Seth, you have to admit it a little too convenient."

"He's my father, he's Atem's uncle, why would he….?" Seth said.

"He's ambitious, I've seen it with my own eyes." Kisara said, walking up. "How many times has he asked you to bring something up to the Pharaoh, something he thinks is a good idea? How many times does he remind you that you are made for greatness? Seth, I think you should listen to them about this. My dragons have never liked your father, not even Akai."

"And Akai is the friendliest little dragon I know."

"Okay, but if Ahknaden is the one who did that to Yami, and now both of them are missing…" Yugi gulped.

"We need to find them." Jonouchi said. "Find Yami. Kisara, can Aoi and Akai find him?"

"Yes, they can." Kisara said.

"Do they need something of his, to scent?" Yugi asked, trying not to panic.

"No, they know his scent, they can find him on their own." Kisara answered. She made a gesture with her hand and the two dragons lifted off, snouts in the air and then zoomed off down the corridor, Yugi and his friends in hot pursuit.


	26. Chapter 26

Star: I own nothing!

"What are you waiting for?" Yami hissed, feeling starting to come back to his limbs. Not that it did him any good, being tied as he was, but he had some knowledge of how to break free of rope. He just had to keep Ahknaden occupied for as long as he could. "You're still too much of a coward, aren't you?"

"Shut up, boy." Ahknaden said, eyes rolling wildly. He had a knife in his hand now and Yami decided it was time to switch tactics as it was probably not a good idea to be antagonizing the man.

"What if I entered a binding contract, wherein I swore not to try and take the throne from Seth?" Yami suggested, trying to keep the priest talking while he discreetly tried to free himself.

"You know too much already, your attempts to avoid your death are pathetic." Ahknaden sneered.

"How could you be so cruel to your own brother?" Yami demanded, switching gears again. "He'd already lost his wife, and then you took away his only child? And now you're going to do it again, except this time you're leaving him no hope at all. Do you really want to hurt your brother that way?"

"My brother is a fool!" Ahknaden declared. "He always got everything, and now I'm going to take everything away from him."

"So this is about your own petty jealousy then?" Yami demanded. "And you said I'm pathetic."

"Shut up!" Ahknaden nearly roared and he strode over, grabbing Yami's hair and exposing his throat.

"How are you going to get the body out, hm?" Yami hissed. "Who are you going to pin this on?" Ahknaden tugged on his hair harder and Yami gritted his teeth. He wasn't afraid any more, he was sad. Sad because he would leave the people he loved behind. He thought with regret that Yugi had given up being a merman for nothing.

Suddenly the door burst open and there was a shriek of rage. Ahknaden released him, attempting to fight off an extremely pissed off dragon. "Akai, enough!" Kisara ordered as Yugi freed Yami.

"Oh, thank the gods." Yugi whispered, kissing Yami desperately. "I knew something was wrong."

"Thank the gods you knew." Yami said, putting his arms around his lover. "Thank the gods for you."

Akai and Aoi had Ahknaden cornered, the priest had gouges in his face from the angry little dragons. Seth and Jonouchi came in, Seth scowling angrily at his father. Bakura came in after them, looking rather smug.

"See, I'm not so crazy after all." He said. Seth glowered at him.

"Seth, my son, help me." Ahknaden pleaded.

"Help you?" Seth said quietly. "You were about to kill my cousin and you're the reason he went missing and can't remember who he was. The only place I'm helping you is to the dungeons."

"I did this for you."

"That's even worse!" Seth yelled. "You nearly destroyed the Pharaoh, my uncle, for me?! You think that makes me happy?!" Ahknaden quailed under the angry stare. "Bakura, arrest him."

"With pleasure." Bakura said with a grin. He took the rope that had been binding Yami and bound the priest up and frog-marched him out of the room.

"This is just a mess." Seth muttered, rubbing at his temples. "Yami, I'm sorry-"

"Don't blame yourself, you had nothing to do with it." Yami said calmly. "Any blame is squarely on his shoulders."

"Will the Pharaoh see it that way?" Seth wondered.

"Seth, sometimes you're real stupid, you know that?" Jonouchi said, cuffing his lover on the back of the head. "Your uncle's one of the most kind politicians out there without being a push-over. He's not just going to jail you for being related to Ahknaden. He'll listen."

"I'll make sure he does." Yami added. Kisara calmed her dragons down and went over, hugging Seth tightly.

"You are an honorable man, you hate any kind of injustice or law-breaking, the Pharaoh will know you had nothing to do with this. Besides, you were a child when it first happened." She told him. "Stop pitying yourself, it's not good for you."

"I'm not wallowing in self-pity." Seth protested.

"Then stop acting like it." Jonouchi said, kissing Seth on the cheek. Seth huffed and rolled his eyes. "The important thing is that Yami is okay, now we know who kidnapped him in the first place and we shouldn't have any more trouble."

"I'll be keeping my guard up still, thank you." Yami said. "I shouldn't have gone with him. My gut was telling me something was up, but I didn't listen. I feel stupid."

"You're not." Yugi said. "You had no reason to suspect it was Ahknaden."

"He's never spoken to me before and all the sudden he wanted a chat, how does that not look suspicious?" Yami demanded. Yugi gave him a frustrated look and kissed him.

"Stop it." The former merman ordered. "You'll only make yourself feel worse. What's done is done. Of all the things that could have happened, none of us would have suspected your kidnapping came from within your own family."

"This is not going to be easy to explain to father." Yami sighed.

%&%&%&%

The Pharaoh sat down heavily and ran a hand through his greyed hair. "Ahknaden did all this." He said quietly. "My own brother…"

"Forgive me Pharaoh-" Seth managed to get out before Yami punched him in the side.

"Seth had nothing to do with it." Yami said. "He is not allowed to take any of the blame for all of this." He glared at Seth, who glared back. Yami's father managed to laugh at the two of them.

"I just don't understand how I could never have known." He said.

"None of us did." Bakura said. "He hid his tracks well and no one suspected someone so close to you would actually try to hurt Yami."

"He was always jealous of my station in life, but it was my birthright." The pharaoh said. "In any case he's always been very harsh when giving me advice, he would have made a poor ruler." He looked at Seth. "This doesn't change anything when it comes to you. You are still my heir, what your father did changes nothing."

"My thanks to you, Pharaoh." Seth said, bowing low to him.

"I cannot show mercy, simply because he is my brother. I could banish him, but that runs the risk of him raising an army against us."

"You'll have to execute him, won't you?" Yami said quietly. His father rubbed at his face, looking old and sad.

"What else can I do?" he asked. "Had anyone else done this they would have been executed. I cannot show favour, it would look bad to my subjects."

"No one ever said that doing what needs to be done would be easy." Seth said wisely. "This must be done. Even though he's my father, justice must be served."

Yami walked over and embraced his father. The Pharaoh sighed deeply and held Yami close. "The important thing is that I am still alive, that it's over now." Yami said. "We can't change what happened, but we're together again, and now nothing can tear this family apart again."

"Where did you learn to be so wise?" His father asked with a watery chuckle.

"Somewhere in the time where I didn't know who I was and was deciding who I should be." Yami answered.

"I love you, my son."

"I love you, father." Yami said, the words coming easily to him. It was enough. All those years feeling like he needed that missing part of himself and now he knew he was wrong. He could feel love for his father, even if he didn't remember him. Everything was going to be just fine now, he knew it.

~~~~~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~&~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~(~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~~~~~&~~~~~~~~~~

Star: Review plz!


	27. Chapter 27

Star: I own nothing!

"Priest Ahknaden you stand before us accused of kidnapping and attempting to kill our son, Prince Atem." The pharaoh stated. They were all in the throne room, Yami standing by his father's side with Yugi and Seth on his other. Ahknaden was bound, held between two guards with Bakura looking on. The council members in attendance all murmured amongst themselves. "How do you plead?"

"You cannot seriously believe this, brother." Ahknaden said.

"You were found with a knife to our son's throat, and even your own son accuses you." The Pharaoh said. "The evidence against you is overwhelming."

"You cannot prove that I kidnapped him." Ahknaden said.

"Mahad is proficient in truth spells, we give him permission now to perform one on you." The Pharaoh said. He nodded at Mahad, who stepped forward. Ahknaden struggled, but could not get away. Mahad murmured something and stepped away again, bowing to the Pharaoh. "Now, did you, or did you not orchestrate the kidnapping and memory wipe that befell our son?"

Ahknaden tried to keep his mouth shut, but he lost the battle. "Yes, I kidnapped the brat and had his memories erased." He said.

"Did you attempt to kill him recently?" The Pharaoh demanded. Yami could see how his fingers were clutching at the arms of his throne, hard enough to make his knuckles turn white. He wanted to comfort his father, but knew that appearance was everything right now, and his father didn't need to be seen as weak.

"I did." Ahknaden said, glaring hate at Yami. Yami stared back impassively, not letting his fear and anger show.

"That is all we need. Mahad, you may remove the spell from the prisoner." The magician moved and then the Pharaoh sighed minutely. "We cannot ignore the enormity of your actions, even though you are our brother. The sentence for the offence of attempted murder of a member of the royal family is death, public execution. This sentence will be carried out in two days' time. Take him away."

Ahknaden was surprisingly quiet as he was led away. Yami thought it might be out of shock and they would hear a lot of screaming when he was to be executed in two days. He looked at his father, who's jaw was clenched so tightly he feared his teeth might shatter.

"This court is adjourned." The Pharaoh said, rising. Yami and Seth followed him out of the room and out into the garden. Once they were isolated and alone Yami's father sank to the ground and proceeded to break down in sobs.

Yami got down on his knees and placed his hand upon his father's shoulder. After a moment's hesitation Seth did the same. The two of them didn't know what else to really do. Yami had seen his father like this once before, when they'd first met, but he wondered if Seth had ever seen his uncle break down like this.

"He comforted me, after you'd gone missing." Yami's father said quietly after some time. "He urged me to keep searching, to not give up hope. He convinced me not to kill myself even, and all that time h knew what had happened to you and he was the one who'd done it in the first place!"

"It's alright, father, it worked out in the end." Yami soothed.

"What if it hadn't?" His father asked, raising red-rimmed eyes to Yami. "What if I had gone all my life, believing in my brother?"

"It did not happen that way." Yami said. "Do not dwell on the what ifs, they will only drag your mind into darkness. Believe me, I know that."

"As do I." His father admitted. "It still does not erase the hurt, or the anger, or the regret."

"There is nothing else you can do, but make it as quick as you possibly can." Seth said. "This will not be easy for me either, uncle."

"No, in my own pain I forget that you are his son and now must watch your father die." Yami's father said. "Forgive me, Seth."

"You and Yami are the ones who have been wronged the most, I do not begrudge you your time to mourn and rage." Seth replied smoothly. "I have two lovers who will help me in my mourning. You have only us two."

"You will be a wise king." Yami's father said, a small smile flickering across his face briefly. "You do not hold it against me that your father is to die?"

"I am angry, but it is at him. I know this must be done and it is no fault of yours, my Pharaoh." Seth replied. "It would be foolish for me to do so, seeing as he is as much family to you as he is to me."

"Human beings don't always have room in their hearts for logic." The Pharaoh replied. "I thank you both, but I think your loved ones will be looking for you, and I wish to be alone with my thoughts for now."

"Seek one of us out if you are feeling alone, please, father." Yami urged.

"I will, my son." His father said, smiling briefly, though sadly. Yami had to be satisfied with that and went to go find Yugi.

%&%&%&%

Yami didn't understand the people that cheered and jeered at executions. They were not entertaining, they were sickening. It was the death of a human being, even if that human being had done awful things to other human beings.

They were all in the garden, he, Yugi, Bakura and Ryou, Seth and his lovers and his father. None of them were speaking, just leaning into each other for support, silently giving comfort for both Seth and the Pharaoh. Yami didn't want to think of the execution at all, but he kept going back to the look on his father's face as he gave the order for Ahknaden to be killed.

"So, the danger's over, now, isn't it?" Jonouchi asked quietly.

"It's never over when you're part of the royal family." Bakura scoffed.

"I know that, I'm not an idiot, but now we can go back to worrying about the normal amount of trouble." Jonouchi snapped.

"Then yes, by that definition, the danger's over." Bakura replied. "All's well that ends well, I suppose, a perfect ending."

"Excepting the fact that Yami still does not remember his past." Seth pointed out.

"What in the name of the gods does he need those for?" Bakura demanded. "He's got his family back, we all like him even though he can't remember us, he and his father love each other, why does he need to remember? Everything he wants to know we can tell him."

"You're too callous sometimes, Bakura." Ryou, who had long white hair, soft features and big doe-brown eyes.

"He's right though." Yami said. "I have much more than I ever thought I would." He explained. "I've got a family, friends, a future, a lover who is the best part of me. What more could I possibly want?"

"And I have a son again." Yami's father said, breaking his long silence. "Certainly what my brother has done will haunt me for years to come, but there is gladness in my heart because my son is safe."

"Even in the darkest time there is light." Kisara said, stroking Aoi's scales.

Yami sat back quietly, one arm around Yugi's waist, holding him close. He contemplated all of the events that had led him to this moment. Certainly his life had been hard, and his past would forever haunt him, but Kisara was right, in those dark times, there had been a light, a hope that someday he would find what he was looking for.

As the years had gone on the hope of finding his family had waned, but his drive to be free had strengthened. He emerged from slavery a strong man, determined to put his past behind him and put his lost memories out of his mind. He found love in the strangest place and was content to have his life the way it was.

Fate had a funny way of working though, and he found that childish dreams could come true, especially when you weren't expecting it. His father found him again and even though Yami could not remember what his life had been like before he still loved him with all his heart. His friends too and he was grateful for everything he had.

"What are you thinking about?" Yugi asked.

"Life, Fate, love." Yami replied. "A slave becomes a prince, it's practically a fairy tale, isn't it?"

"And I suppose we live happily ever after?" Yugi teased. Yami smiled.

"If we must."

THE END


End file.
